Straight Talk: The holiday season

  • Published
  • By Col. Stacy L. Yike
  • 66th Air Base Group commander
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  What a wonderful start to the holiday season! Whoever heard of wearing shorts while putting up holiday decorations in New England? Speaking of decorating, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Hanscom Spouses Club for their amazing efforts at the Minuteman Commons. The entire building looks absolutely beautiful, and I know many of you will enjoy the fruits of their labor this holiday season.

Decorating the commons has been an HSC holiday tradition for many years. The HSC brings together the volunteers who deck the halls and trim the trees. The decorations themselves have come from a variety of sources, including generous donations from organizations and individuals.

If you find yourself looking at holiday ornaments or garland that are still in good condition, but no longer work for your home, please feel free to donate! You can take donations to Vanessa at the front desk of the commons, bring them to the 66th Air Base Group front office or talk to HSC President Betsy Woolums about what specific items they need most for next year. We have listed some specific needs on the Hanscom Helping Hanscom page. Perhaps when you are out shopping the holiday sales you will find the perfect bargain?

Another Hanscom Helping Hanscom project is establishing a centralized website where people can post "for free" notices, yard sales and "in need of" requests. Think of it as a giant Hanscom Community Swap Shop. The Hanscom Family Housing Facebook page has some of these, and we want to give those posts more visibility to the wider Hanscom community. I am looking for a couple of volunteers to moderate the Yahoo Groups website and then we will be off and running!

Check out the link for more information on this and other projects at www.hanscom.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=18988 or look for the Hanscom Helping Hanscom logo on the home page of www.hanscom.af.mil.

I hope to see you at the many events happening on base and around town this weekend. Friday is our last First Friday event at the Minuteman Commons, as we will be starting a new format in January. Also, check out the Holiday Festival of Lights at Lexington Center. Saturday is chock full with Breakfast with Santa at the commons, the Drop and Shop at the Child Development Center and the Gary Hoey concert in Lowell. Free tickets for this concert are available at the commons for all Hanscom ID card holders.

Sunday the Band of Liberty plays their annual holiday concert in Framingham and Bedford will hold the Higgins Holiday House Tour. Combine this with shopping, baking and tree trimming and you have yourself a very festive weekend! I wish you and yours much holiday happiness this season.