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Shaw, Sumter volunteers care for families

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Destinee Sweeney
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  The 20th Fighter Wing Chaplain Corps in conjunction with Shaw and Sumter volunteers hosted a Deployed Family Dinner at the Carolina Skies Club and Conference Center, July 24.

The monthly dinner aims to provide meals to families with deployed spouses while providing an avenue for them to socialize, improve resiliency and build a healthy community.

“The Deployed Family Dinner is just a small token of Shaw's gratitude to say ‘thank you’ to the deployed members, spouses and loved ones for their ability to serve our country with pride, dignity and respect,” said Senior Airman Lauren McCall, Deployed Family Dinner point of contact assigned to the 20th Force Support Squadron.

Volunteers from across the wing set up the ballroom prior to the event, provide child care and act as servers during the meal, and clean up when the attendees leave. Approximately 15 different churches from the local area volunteer to provide the meals in rotation.

“It’s important to me because I’m currently the alternate unit deployment manager,” said McCall. “As I’m deploying these people out, I want to make sure their spouses at home station are still being cared and provided for and feel safe and comfortable at Shaw Air Force Base while their loved ones are away.”

During the dinner, families have access to helping agency representatives such as the 20th Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy program, the Red Cross and the 20th FW Chaplain Corps, who can help them maintain resiliency while their spouses are gone. Some attendees have found the dinner itself can serve as a resiliency tool while they await their loved one’s return.

“A lot of people tend to tally how many dinners they’ve had,” said McCall. “‘Four dinners down, two to go.’ It helps out with dealing with the time they have left before their spouses come home.”

Chaplain (Maj.) Richard Holmes, 20th FW deputy wing chaplain, said the dinner meets the commander’s priority of family by helping to strengthen the family units and providing an opportunity for Team Shaw to care for families deliberately.

Holmes said the event not only supports individual families, but also helps to build the Air Force family, because it brings all the families together.

“They love seeing each other, they love hanging out with each other and they’re building a tight bond because they have something in common: their loved one is missing,” said Holmes. “They understand each other better than anyone else in the world.

“As an Air Force, as leaders, we constantly say we’re here for you. When someone’s family deploys and they’re here by themselves, that is an opportunity to prove that we are here for you, whether it’s a card, a phone call, a text message or seeing that person whose loved one is deployed at the Deployed Family Dinner and sitting down and having a conversation with them.”

The Deployed Family Dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m. every third Monday of the month except for November. To volunteer, contact McCall at lauren.mccall@us.af.mil.