EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The spirit of volunteerism is alive and well here.
Volunteer Week was observed April 24-28. The Airman and Family Readiness Center collaborates regularly with other base volunteer agencies to recruit, train, place and recognize volunteer service.
Amy Johnson, A&FRC volunteer program manager, said people visit the A&FRC from all over the base, looking for volunteer opportunities and many base organizations, like the Airman’s Attic, are always looking for volunteers.
Staff Sgt. John-Carlos Santos, Senior Airman Skylar Freeman and Airman 1st Class Jeffrey Urquhart, from the 96th Logistics Readiness Squadron, recently volunteered a few hours at the Airman’s Attic for service members in need.
“It’s nice to lend a hand to people who are always giving back to us,” Urquhart said.
To begin volunteering, one just needs to visit the A&FRC or the Eglin Life website.
Under the website’s Volunteer Resources Program page, interested patrons can find the Eglin Volunteer Opportunities slides, which show all the base organizations looking for volunteers.
A volunteer can sign up with and track their own hours. Volunteers are given a record of service code to use to link up to the Eglin Life page.
“I think the program helps a lot of folks, especially spouses who don’t work,” Johnson said. “Through this program, they find something that gives them a sense of purpose. Volunteerism counts on a resume as paid work experience.”
The Air Force Aid Society will pay for in-home provider child care, for up to 32 hours of volunteer service per month, according to Johnson.
At Pet Welfare, Carla Engeldinger and Jennifer Lagoski volunteer to care for the animals. They also accept items like food, beds, plain bleach for cleaning, laundry soap, disinfectant hand soap and paper towels, to name a few.
I love working with the animals,” said Engeldinger, a volunteer for more than 10 years. “We need more volunteers.”
Engeldinger also volunteers at the Air Force Enlisted Village, a military-connected retirement community. The AFEV is continuously in need of volunteers.
“Kids can volunteer there, too,” she said. “The older men and women love seeing kids volunteering and helping out in various ways.”
Local off-base volunteer opportunities can be found at www.allforgood.org. For national volunteer opportunities and initiatives, visit www.justserve.gov.
For more information, call 882-9060.