Support from GFAFB Airmen yields new warehouse for non-profit agency

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Anastasia Wasem
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base Communications Squadron have been volunteering during weekends and days off for more than two years in support of the Red River Valley Community Action Agency, a non-profit organization serving more than 1,900 households in four counties.

1st Lt. Christine Williams, 319th Communications Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Colby Scheierl, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron, recently expanded the effort and have continued to gain support on the base.

"As Airmen we know what it's like to serve abroad, but to give back to the local community is even more rewarding," said Lieutenant Williams.

Recently, the RRVCAA completed the construction of a badly needed new distribution warehouse. As a non-profit organization, the volunteer effort by the Airmen of Grand Forks AFB as well as off-base groups was key to the successful completion.

"The agency estimated that the Airmen from the base alone saved them about $60K in construction costs," said Lieutenant Williams.

The warehouse project consisted of approximately 10 Airmen working over a six-week period to shingle the roof and installed drywall in the interior, among other jobs, to finish the mission.

Prior to the new warehouse being built, the organization was working out of a warehouse built of nothing but aluminum siding, said Staff Sgt. Zacharia Vasicek, 319th Communications Squadron, and one of the volunteers from the base. The newly constructed warehouse is equipped with both insulation and drywall.

"The construction of the warehouse was definitely time well spent," said Sergeant Vasicek. "I not only learned a skill, but also provided manpower for a community project."

Besides helping with the warehouse project, volunteers from the 319th Communications Squadron also routinely help the RRVCAA with commodity distribution, boxing up and providing canned goods and donations to income-qualified recipients.