Team Minot community sticks together in times of need

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica McConnell
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Team Minot first sergeants here invited base-affiliated families to the base commissary Nov. 19 to receive Thanksgiving Day food items, which were all donated by senior NCOs, officers, and civilian equivalents on base.

Senior Master Sgt. James Ritchie, 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron first sergeant, said everyone in the Team Minot community were eligible to receive the donations, including Airmen, NCOs, officers, and civilians.

"A food drive was held and the entire Minot community came together to make donations," said Ritchie. "In addition, vendors donated extra food as well. All food was geared towards Thanksgiving Day food and enough was provided to last through the holidays."

Members received an email from the organizers to come to the commissary and shop for free.

"Everyone seemed so thankful and genuinely appreciative," said Ritchie. "They were all trying to be conservative in the amount of food they took - so the first sergeants began throwing more food into their baskets."

Ritchie said the recipients were overcome by the generosity of the community, and that it was a fun and personable event for everyone.

"In past years, we've just given families a couple of grocery bags with the basic Thanksgiving items," said Ritchie. "This year, our goal was to make it more personable for the families. We had cookies, hot chocolate, coffee and door prizes."

The entire First Sergeant Council headed up the event, but also assisting them was the commissary staff and both 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing leadership.

"It's nice to give back to the community," Ritchie continued. "Our families work so hard, so it feels good to take care of them and make their holidays happier. It is always a good feeling to help those in need - it is what a first sergeant lives for!"

Ritchie said families in need range from single parents to families affected by the flood and have had to put all their extra money into re-establishing their homes.

"Times are hard right now - we want everyone to be able to enjoy the holidays without stressing out about putting food on the table," said Ritchie. "We need to continue the tradition that the Air Force is a family, and families take care of each other."