Airmen, Soldiers, Fairbanks volunteers strengthen community together

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shad Eidson
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Eighty Airmen, Soldiers and civic leaders volunteered their afternoon August 22 to support this year's Community Partnership Day event at Eielson Air Force Base. 

The volunteers all chipped in to plant trees, which when fully grown, will provide natural shade for the path to Eielson's Two Seasons Dining Facility. The facility is used primarily by Airmen living in the dormitories but is also heavily used by visiting military members -- including foreign allies.

"I am continually amazed by the show of support here by our local community, our Airmen, and from Soldiers nearby at Fort Wainwright," said Col. Michael J. Jordan, 354 Fighter Wing vice commander, during his opening comments. 

While improving the base is the goal for the volunteers, the event encourages interaction between Soldiers, Airmen and community members while doing the community-service project. 

"We live and work beside each other every day. It's good to see us come together to make the community here just a little bit better," said Butch Stein who spoke at the event as a representative of the Military Affairs Committee. 

The annual event, which started in 2001, is coordinated and sponsored by the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee. Next year's event will be held on Ft. Wainwright.