Kadena Airmen provide relief to Minot flood victims Published Sept. 7, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Christopher Hummel 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Members of Kadena Air Base gathered for a 5K fundraiser Sept. 1 to help Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and their families affected by the recent flooding situation at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. More than 130 Airmen navigated the 3.1-mile course in a show of support for their fellow wingmen of the 5th Bombing Wing and 91st Missile Wing. The fundraiser was put on by a 13-member coordination team led by Tech. Sgt. Kevin Brown of the 718th Civil Engineer Squadron. The team helped participants follow through with their desire to lend a hand. Brown said the event raised $2,000 toward flood relief efforts. "We started planning the event in June during the height of their emergency," Brown said. "Our (Kadena Air Base) 56 group contacted the first sergeants council at Minot AFB to offer our assistance." Master Sgt. Patrick Lund, 5th BW Medical Group first sergeant, said he was grateful for the contributions offered by Kadena Airmen. Senior Airman Mary Fawcett, a member of the 18th Dental Squadron and first-place finisher in the women's category said the run meant a lot to her. "I just returned from a deployment to Iraq where I was stationed with a lot of Airmen from Minot (AFB). They returned to a home damaged by this flood." The record flooding in Minot was called the "100-year flood." It displaced more than 10,000 residents of the city including more than 1,000 Team Minot Airmen. "The funds we were able to raise today will hopefully be able to replace things lost in the flood," said Tech. Sgt. Saquadrea Crosby, another event coordinator from the 18th Aerospace Medical Squadron. "Maybe some of the money can be used to purchase supplies for school, which is just about to start over there." Local North Dakotans and Minot AFB Airmen weren't the only people impacted by the disaster. In a June 27 announcement, Air Force officials halted all moves to Minot -- a decision that has yet to be rescinded. [Noted: Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs contributed to this story.]