Wing members volunteer their time to make sure others will have a ... Merry little Christmas Published Nov. 28, 2007 By Bryan Magana 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UT -- This holiday season, many 419th Fighter Wing personnel are volunteering their time to make Christmas special for children and veterans, from Ogden to Iraq, in ways both big and small. Master Sgt. Lori Noble of the 419th Civil Engineer Squadron became involved with Operation School Supplies on a tip from CES first sergeant Master Sgt. Thomas Brewer, who is deployed to Kirkuk, Iraq. The year-round, volunteer-run program operates out of Iraq with an aim to enhance the quality of education for Iraqi children. Deployed personnel use their off-time to organize and deliver the donated school supplies to local schools. "It's an up-and-running program," Sergeant Noble said. "We're just doing our part from the 419th, and it just happened to coincide with the holidays." Sergeant Noble hopes to tap into people's giving mood this season, setting up donation boxes in nine of the wing's 14 units. Within the first day, volunteers from nearly every unit had donated. Master Sgt. Cindy George of the 419th Medical Squadron will collect all donated school supplies Sunday and prepare them for send-off. "I enjoy these types of projects," Sergeant George said. "I think we're so blessed here, but [Iraqi] children don't have the things that we have." For Sergeant Noble, it's not just about meeting a need. "I think one of the ways we're going to win the Iraqi people's support is in the future generations," she said. "By doing something positive, giving the children a future, and showing them the positive side of what we (Americans) have to offer, that's going to help break down those walls and those ideas of what we are." Sergeant Noble is confident that reservists will continue to contribute. "The 419th has got a great group of people who are just willing to help out." Other reservists, like Master Sgt. Matthew Matysik of the 419th Maintenance Squadron, are reaching out to the local community. He and his wife, Julie, joined forces with the Utah Foster Care Foundation and Ogden's Christmas Box House to deliver gifts to children of foster care families. Local churches and businesses have donated gifts for the foster children to the Christmas Box House. On Dec. 17, Sergeant Matysik and about 30 other reservists, some of whom are foster parents themselves, will pair up and deliver the gifts to more than 600 children in 364 foster homes across Northern Utah. "It's nice to get involved with lending a hand or some type of giving during the holiday season," Sergeant Matysik said. "This is a great chance to give to those who are somewhat less fortunate during a special time of year." Mindy Lundgreen, who works for the Utah Foster Care Foundation, has organized the project, which she hopes will become an annual event. "It's tough to be a foster parent, there are a lot of requirements," Lundgreen said, noting that there is a shortage of foster care families in Utah. Some families take in two or three children, making it more difficult to provide for them during the holidays, she said. "We could not do this without the support of our community and Hill Air Force Base," Lundgreen said. "They have just reached out above and beyond." Master Sgt. Diane Jaeger of the 419th Maintenance Squadron chooses to reach out in a creative way this Christmas. Sergeant Jaeger is involved with Quilts of Valor, a volunteer-run organization that donates homemade quilts to wounded veterans. She has been creating and donating quilts for nearly 15 years. Sergeant Jaeger spent this Veterans Day making a large quilt that she hopes to be delivered to a wounded veteran by Christmastime. Her goal is to send out one quilt every month. "I don't stop just because the holidays are over," Sergeant Jaeger said. "Just because Veteran's Day is over doesn't mean we forget them." Creating quilts, which are usually patriotically themed, can take anywhere from one week to six months to complete, Sergeant Jaeger said. But she enjoys using her spare time for something worthwhile. She plans to donate to service members of every branch, including wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and veterans from as far back as Vietnam, who are still living with disabilities. "There are Americans who care," Sergeant Jaeger said. Reservists in the 67th APS are showing they care by maintaining longstanding traditions of volunteerism. Chief Master Sgt. David Sill plans to don a red, fur-trimmed suit again this year. Chief Sill and other volunteers from the 67th APS will host an annual Christmas party at Mound Fort Middle School in Ogden Dec. 12 for children with severe physical and mental disabilities. The afternoon includes treats, caroling, storytelling, and of course, a meet-and-greet with Santa. "It's definitely a rewarding thing," said Chief Sill, who has been playing Santa as "a hobby" for 15 years. "I get more out of it than the kids do." He enjoys spending time with the children during the holidays, but notes that his squadron's involvement with the school is year-round. The 67th APS takes up contributions throughout the year. Personnel donate anything from pocket change to hundreds of dollars at a time. Closer to Christmas, volunteers purchase gifts for the children based on the families' needs, which are given to the 67th APS in advance. Chief Sill welcomes any opportunity to make an appearance as Santa because he enjoys giving back to the community and conveying a more caring image of the military to the children of Mound Fort Middle School, he said. Other members of the 419th will carry on traditions of volunteering for Toys for Tots, a joint effort with the Marines, and other local charities.