Open house held at Eielson

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Janine Thibault
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Community neighbors were welcomed to Eielson Air Force Base April 9 and 10 for the Eielson Open House and Bazaar.

This event marked the first time the Eielson Enlisted Spouses' Club and Eielson Officer Spouses' Club held the annual bazaar in conjunction with an open house.

Rather than holding the two events separately, leadership saw this as an opportunity to invite people from the local area to see a little piece of Eielson and build and foster relations between military and civilian communities.

According to Lt. Col. Jennifer Allee, 354th Force Support Squadron commander, it's not every day the base is open to visitors. This is our chance to welcome them on-base to share in the festivities.

A combination of events provided an atmosphere where visitors could see both local and base operated businesses ranging from food vendors and information about the base to craft sales. Live entertainment was also available including music students from Crawford Elementary School and Fort Wainwright's Jazz Band.

"The bazaar shows how people can come together working hand in hand in so many different ways. Events like this highlight our support for our Eielson families, local business, and show our neighbors what Eielson is all about and how much we appreciate their support," said Aleisa McClure, Eielson Enlisted Spouses' Club president.

By opening the base to the public, Icemen and their families can interact with visitors from the community in a new setting.

"The bond we have with the surrounding community is important. We interact and work together on a near daily basis, this is an opportunity to take our relationship a little further," Colonel Allee said.

Static displays were positioned so visitors could get an up-close look at the aircraft and equipment Airmen use daily to support the mission. Icemen were also present to give a first-hand account of daily life and answer questions from curious visitors.

In addition to holding the open house, civilian aviators were allowed to land on the flightline to join the event. Allowing civilian fly-ins gave locals located far from the base the opportunity to make their trip shorter by piloting their personal aircraft.

According to Kristie Calvin, a North Pole resident, the bazaar was a great way to shop a wide variety of products all in a convenient location.

"The bazaar elevated community awareness of what Eielson not only does for our Airmen, but what our Airmen offer our community," said Ms. McClure.

More than 100 civilian and military vendors participated in the bazaar located in Hangar 2.

The vendor fees covered the costs to hold the bazaar and all proceeds were split between the two spouses clubs to support their respective scholarship programs. The two day event raised around $8,800.

The spouses' clubs award scholarships each year to outstanding high school students and military spouses, giving people the opportunity to better themselves and rewards community ambassadors for their outstanding contributions.

The 2011 Bazaar and Open House was a way to open up the base to Eielson's local neighbors. The understanding and support of the surrounding community is instrumental in the success of Eielson's mission.