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Volunteers Honored At Annual Luncheon

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Todd Wivell
  • 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  "No matter how big and powerful government gets, and the many services it provides, it can never take the place of volunteers," President Ronald Reagan once said. 

Volunteers are the men and women, servicemembers and civilians, who donate their time to Pope and its surrounding communities. They are the ones who make the Airmen Appreciation Dinner and Military Family Appreciation Week the huge successes they are. 

They are the ones who donate time with working at Santa's and Airmen's Attics. They are the ones who bag goodies for the dormitory Airmen with the Saint Nick Project and they are the ones who make the 24-Hour Endurance Relay a success. They are behind the scenes at almost every event on Pope and they are what make each event a success. 

Pope honored these volunteers Tuesday with a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at Woodland Park. More than 150 base personnel came out to show their support to these men and women and to show them thanks for all their dedication. 

Members who had participated in the Drug Education for Youth program, members who volunteered time with the Noncommissioned Officer Association, members who volunteered with local agencies such as the American Red Cross and members from all across Pope who volunteered with the Phoenix Spouse program were honored. 

Those members who had served more than 100 volunteer hours throughout the 2008 calendar year and those spouses who served as Phoenix Spouses were given certificates of appreciation and pins by Col. John McDonald, 43rd Airlift Wing Commander. 

A final presentation for the Pope Volunteer Excellence Award for 2008 was given to Mr. John Tucker, Jr. Mr. Tucker was chosen for his ongoing volunteering at on and off base establishments such as the No Kill Animal Shelter, the NCOA and the local retirees committee just to name a few. For 2008, Mr. Tucker donated more than 2,700 hours.
Volunteers are always needed and are often relied on to make an event successful, and this is abundantly clear here at Pope. For more information on volunteering, read the briefs section of the base paper or contact your unit first sergeant.