ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- For the past 14 years, volunteers from the 28th Operations Group have delivered gifts during the holiday season to the children of the Youth & Family Services Center program in Rapid City, S.D.
“Each year, YFS provides the 28th OG with the names, ages, and genders of the infants, toddlers, and preschool children,” said Brianna Nelson, a Youth & Family Services Child Development Center communications coordinator. “The 28th OG then sets up a tree and creates tags with the children’s information where airmen and their families can take the tags and purchase gifts for each child.”
Every year, the 28th OG collects gifts from Ellsworth Air Force Base, and delivers them to the YFS along with Santa Claus.
“On Dec. 17 personnel from the 28th OG [dropped] off the children’s gifts to the youth center where staff distributed them to each child,” Nelson said.
Every year the 28th OG Angel Tree event is held where children from the Youth & Family Services’ Child Development Center receive gifts from the 28th OG.
“This is our favorite day of the year for kids and staff alike,” said Amanda Moriarty, the Youth & Family Services’ Child Development Center child development center director. “This event creates so much positivity and excitement for everyone involved.”
For many children and adults, the Angel Tree event, this year, allows them to bring back some semblance of normalcy into their lives, with children and adults’ alike feeling grateful that they can still partake in this annual event.
“We are so thankful to have this wonderful partnership with Ellsworth Air Force Base, and for the kindness and generosity of the airmen and their families who participate in the Angel Tree event,” Nelson said. “This day is incredibly special for so many of us, and we are truly grateful that Ellsworth has continued to make this event a priority, even during challenging times.”