Courtesy Photo | Members of Joint Task Force-Bravo out of Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, hike bags of...... read more read more
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On June 24, 2023, more than 120 Joint Task Force Bravo service members participated in the long-standing tradition of a humanitarian mission to benefit families in a nearby community.
Chapel Hike 94 started at 6:30 a.m. as participants gathered at the Base Chapel on Soto Cano Air base. A group of volunteers had come to the chapel the day before to package 5,000 pounds of food into bags for 200 families in need.
Chapel Hikes have been a tradition at Soto Cano AB since 2007, where service members not only donate their time but also their own money to help purchase food, toys, and candy for families in the more remote communities near the base. The 94th installment of this tradition was very similar to previous hikes, with this one focusing on the community of Calaveras, in the La Paz area about an hour’s drive from base.
The day of the hike, as service members gathered at the Base Chapel, they each grabbed at least one 25-pound bag of food (some members grabbed 2 or even 3 bags), loading them into their backpacks. After receiving last-minute instructions, everyone loaded on the buses and headed up the mountain to the hike’s starting point. Roughly an hour later, everyone off-loaded and began their 4.5-mile hike to carry 5,000 pounds of food up to the 200 waiting families.
It had rained the day before, so the roads were still pretty muddy, which proved to be a challenge for both the cargo van carrying extra drinking water and supplies as well the medical vehicle that was following the group in case of any injuries. A few service members lent some muscle and experience to help these vehicles get up the mountain when they got stuck.
On top of the mountain, three local communities came together to celebrate, get some much needed food, and see their kids run after candy from busted piñatas.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Stacy Tharpe, noncommissioned officer in charge of Chapel Operations, commented, “These chapel hikes are such a great experience! Our service members get to interact with our friendly neighbors here in Honduras. What a great opportunity for these members to not only donate their own money, but also to personally hand out these much needed supplies as well.”
In the weeks leading up to the hike, service members donated their own money to help make purchases along with a large donation from Grace Place Church located in Berthoud, Colorado.
Grace Place Church is the endorser of Chaplain (Maj.) Rob Mohr, the Command Chaplain at Soto Cano. When Chaplain Mohr reached out to his church and informed them of the many needs that he was seeing in Honduras, they took up a donation that will benefit many humanitarian events like Chapel Hike 94, as well as house-building projects and local orphanages improvements in Comayagua, Honduras (the city closest to the base). For this project, GP Church donated $2,000 and local service members gave almost $1,500 to purchase all the necessary food, toys, piñatas, and candy.
The positive impacts of these events on both the service members and the communities they hike ensure that they will continue for many years to come.
Thank you, not only to those service members to donated and participated, but also to the wonderful communities that have welcomed us into their neighborhoods, played soccer with us, and shared some great memories with us as well.
Next up, Chapel Hike 95, coming this fall!
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2023 16:00 |
| Story ID: | 449380 |
| Location: | CALAVERAS, HN |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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