Operation Raider Holiday Cheer: Spreading Joy to Dorm Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alec Carlberg
  • 28th Bomb Wing
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Volunteers from the 28th Bomb Wing and the local community gathered for the 4th annual Raider Holiday Cheer event at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, Dec. 4, 2024.

Active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses assembled gift bags and holiday cards which were then delivered to Airmen living in the dormitories on base.

Stations were set up around the Chapel Activity Center allowing volunteers to fill gift bags with donated items including macaroni and cheese, cups of soup, granola bars, hot chocolate, oatmeal and more. Additionally, a bag of cookies and a homemade card from the local elementary school were included with each bundle.

The holiday festivities were led by Kelly Oakley, Ellsworth Key Spouse program mentor, who enabled the opportunity for volunteers to give back to Airmen and spur the season of giving.

“The purpose of this event is to spread holiday cheer, especially to the Airmen in the dorms who may be away from home and unable to see family,” said Oakley. “We want to show them that the base community looks out for one another.”

Once the bags were assembled, volunteers worked alongside Airmen dorm leaders to distribute them to nine dormitory buildings. The goal was to have Airmen returning home from work to be greeted by a gift bag.

“It was a pleasant surprise,” said Airman Gabriel Jordan, 28th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels distribution operator. “I couldn’t be more appreciative of the people who put this together.”

After delivering around 700 gift bags to the dormitories, Oakley said that the remaining bags would be distributed to other units on base.

“I am very thankful to everyone in the Ellsworth and Box Elder community who help make this possible every year,” said Oakley.