Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. – The Wing Kids Holiday Party provided holiday cheer and festivities to the Grissom community during the December Unit Training Assembly, but the real magic happened long before guests arrived.
The annual event, hosted by the 434th Air Refueling Wing's Military & Family Readiness Center, featured games, face painting, cookie decorating station, bounce house, toy donations, and a Santa fully clad in an Air Force camouflage suit.
“[The Kids Holiday Party] builds and strengthens the community,” said Patricia Cotton, M&FRC program manager. “[The event] allows us to come together and have some fun during the holiday season, while also providing some fellowship, food, and fun; and we throw some toys in there too.”
While Santa has his elves, this event relied entirely on the Airmen and volunteers who stepped up to make the event a success.
To ensure there were toys for the children in attendance, Rachel Grasmick, a Grissom military spouse, began reaching out and found 38 businesses and organizations that were willing to donate money for toys.
“I found an undercurrent of veteran support within the community,” said Grasmick. “I put the word out and this network of people came to help, and it was amazing.”
Grasmick rounded up over $20,000 in monetary donations, and the 434th ARW Top 3 organization purchased and distributed the toys during the event.
This year, each child in attendance was given the opportunity to choose two toys. The leftover toys were given to Airmen from across the base, who had children that could not attend.
“We ask people to come here two days a month, away from their families during a weekend, that they may not have to work otherwise; then there’s annual tour, exercises, and deployments,” said Senior Master Sgt. William Hamilton, 434 ARW Top 3 member. “The families go through a lot. The party is not for the Airmen; it’s for their families. So, it’s giving back to them as a way to say thank you.”
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2025 14:25 |
| Story ID: | 555171 |
| Location: | INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Grissom Fuels Holiday Cheer with annual Kids Holiday Party, by TSgt Alexa Culbert, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
