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Airmen’s Attic a valuable resource for Pope community

  • Published
  • By Nicole Campbell
  • Staff Writer
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  When Airman 1st Class Nick Cowling isn't repairing aircraft with the 43rd Maintenance Squadron, you can find him volunteering at the Airmen's Attic at the Airman and Family Readiness Center, with his wife Diane.

Mrs. Cowling began volunteering after her 5-year-old son, Matthew, started school She said she was looking for something worthwhile to do with her time instead of sitting at home all day by herself.

"When I lived in Iowa I volunteered at Head Start, and when we came here I knew I would volunteer somewhere, but I had to wait for the family to get settled and feel comfortable," Mrs. Cowling said.

Pope is the couple's first duty station; they have lived here for nearly 10 months, and they have been volunteering almost half of that time, she said. Mrs. Cowling said she helps out wherever they need her, and she logged more than 130 volunteer hours at the center last month.

Airman Cowling said that after a change in his work schedule, he was able to "hang-out" with his wife at the shop about 10 hours a week. In addition to other tasks, he helps move bigger items like couches or dressers when brought in, and then loads the large items for customers when they are taken out, he said.

The program manager, Denni Renteria, said the Airmen's Attic depends on volunteers to help sort, clean and stock donated items. Although the store is open three days a week, the volunteers are available to accept donations any time.

"Most donations we receive are in really good shape, or new with the tags still on. We see more donations coming in during PCS moves or after Christmas, but then it goes right back out," Mrs. Renteria said

She said that Airmen E-5 and below with less than eight years of service are eligible to take advantage of the attic's services. Children's clothes, toys, electronics, furniture and miscellaneous items are available, and everything is free.

Although there is not space in the shop to stock adult-size clothing, there are maternity clothes on hand. There are also many toys. Sometimes the shelves overflow with toys, so when they run out of room Mrs. Renteria or the volunteers take the excess to local church thrift stores rather than throw them away, she said.

Mrs. Renteria thinks some Airmen and their spouses might be uncomfortable using the services offered by the Airmen's Attic, and Mrs. Cowling made a good point when she said: "Some people feel that because the stuff is free, they are taking a handout. We all make the same amount of money, and we all know what it is like."

The Airmen's Attic helps aspiring Airmen as well. When Junior ROTC students tour the base during training, they are able to stop in and pick up uniforms. Mrs. Cowling said they make the exception for the kids, who may not be military family members, because there are usually an abundance of service dress uniforms available.