Airmen volunteer to cut grass

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Senior Airman Raenatta Gammons (left), with the 66th Logistics Readiness Squadron, rakes-up grass on and Senior Airman Latrice Bullock picks up piles of grass along Marrett Street near Castle Park on Sept. 10. Sixteen Airmen dedicated their day to mowing common areas around Hanscom to improve the overall base appearance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)

Mowing resumes on Oct. 12

Published Sept. 16, 2010
By Sarah Olaciregui
66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Beginning at 6 a.m. on Oct. 12 lawn mowers, weed eaters and bush trimmers will be seen again as grounds keeping services resume across the base. However, the services may be slightly different than base personnel have noticed in the past.

Budget shortfalls in May forced base officials to make tough decisions about where to cut non-essential services, and lawn mowing was one area where savings could be realized.

"We're happy to be able to restore grounds maintenance for Hanscom," said Col. Stacy Yike, 66 Air Base Group commander. "At the same time, we will continue to be good stewards of our funds to ensure we not only keep the base looking beautiful over the next few months as the leaves fall, but that we also have the ability to handle any snow removal challenges we may face in the winter and are ready to meet the challenges of next spring and summer.

"We are very grateful to the many organizations and individuals who stepped up this summer to take care of the grounds across the base," she said. "But, we are happy to have our grounds crew back to keep up the good work."