Hanscom volunteers to be honored May 6 Published April 22, 2010 By Terri O'Keefe Airman and Family Readiness Center HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Hundreds of volunteers contribute to the quality of life at Hanscom Air Force Base and in their individual communities. These volunteers represent more than 25 organizations and dedicate their time to fill critical needs. Some examples of Hanscom volunteers' efforts include assembling care packages and sending them to deployed personnel, visiting hospitalized veterans, collecting life-saving blood donations, teaching Scouts leadership and life skills, assisting students with their homework assignments and helping individuals with their tax returns. The Hanscom community will honor these volunteers at the 2010 Hanscom Volunteer Salute, which will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 6, at the Minuteman Club. The volunteer salute is Hanscom's annual event dedicated to recognizing the contributions of volunteers. The event is free and all base volunteers and their supporters are invited to attend, whether they volunteered for 1 or 1000 hours in the past year. The theme for this year's event is, "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Accomplishments." The salute will feature a slide show, "Hanscom's Extraordinary Volunteers," remarks from 66th Air Base Wing Commander Col. Charles Thompson and a presentation of the prestigious Chief Of Staff Volunteer Excellence Award. The VEA honors a volunteer who has contributed significantly to his or her community over an extended period of time. Examples of Hanscom volunteers' many contributions include the following: Lt. Col. Mark Davis, from the 653rd Electronic Systems Group, is a volunteer Cub Scout leader, which he says has been very rewarding. "It gives me a chance to be involved in teaching 6 to 10 year olds all about our world -- including how to build things, facts about our country, how to play outdoor activities and more," he said. "I really enjoy teaching kids new things and helping build a solid base of knowledge and character. Also, it gives me another excuse to spend more time with my three boys." Family Services volunteers knit and crochet items which are assembled into layettes by other volunteers. The layettes are then given to families of Hanscom newborns. Kathy Vaillancourt, 66th Force Support Squadron, collects thank you cards sent by grateful recipients. One of the messages said, "Thank you for taking time to create such amazing gifts. They go a long way in making members of the community feel very special." Another recipient wrote, "Thank you so much. My husband is in Afghanistan and I was cheered up by the support since he missed the pregnancy and birth." Hanscom volunteers also regularly visit the Bedford VA Hospital. According to Senior Master Sgt. Derwin Henderson from the 350th Electronic Systems Wing, both hospitalized veterans and Hanscom volunteers look forward to the monthly visits. "We socialize and laugh with them, play bingo and serve refreshments. Their stories of war, sacrifice and service they gave to our great county inspire all of us," he said. "I think our service members look forward to the visits as much as the residents in Bedford VA Ward 4 look forward to us coming each month. In the words of King Solomon, 'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.' Sometimes the joy you give to someone can not only cure the spirit, but also the body." These stories reflect just a small sampling of the hundreds of ways our communities are enhanced by the efforts of volunteers. The Hanscom community is encouraged to attend the event on May 6 to express gratitude and salute the people who give so generously of their time. For more information on the 2010 Volunteer Salute, call Terri O'Keefe at (781) 377-4222.