Minot AFB's Officers' Spouses' Club donates to local JROTC Published May 21, 2012 By 2nd Lt. Jose Davis Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The Minot Air Force Base's Officers' Spouses' Club recently presented a $2,000 check here to the local Minot High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps. The money will help fund the JROTC's summer trip to a five day summer leadership program at Camp Grafton, N.D. "This is a huge donation," said Capt. Scott D. Evans, one of the two teachers in the program. "It reduces the cost of the program and helps keep the program affordable." With recent budget cuts in the Air Force, the JROTC has received less funding for its cadets, forcing the JROTC to look elsewhere for money to support their summer trip. "We decided to do an outreach," said Evans. "And request some funding from some organizations, like the Officers' Spouses' Club." At Camp Grafton, cadets participate in numerous leadership activities such as color guard, drill and ceremonies, static aircraft modeling and a leadership reaction course. "We wanted to get funds out to them," said Julia Coleman, current president of the OSC. "They contacted us. The charitable committee meets for every request and everyone agreed that 2,000 was an amazing thing to give them." The JROTC almost cancelled the cadets' trip to Camp Grafton this year. But with the help of organizations in the Minot community, like the Minot AFB's Officers' Spouses' Club, they were able to raise enough money to continue their yearly trip. "Our senior cadets get great leadership opportunities at Camp Grafton," said Chief Master Sgt. Clark J. Culberton, another JROTC instructor who was recently awarded 'AFA Teacher of the Year' by the Air Force Association. "In addition, as instructors, we learn a lot about our cadets during the program." The JROTC has been going to Camp Grafton every summer for the past nine years. They look forward to their 10th trip there and for, hopefully, more trips to come.