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Chapel coordinates free meals at dorm for Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman Megan Friedl
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Airmen living in the dorms and off base are invited to come to the Airmen dinners to enjoy the company of other Airmen and home cooked meals made by volunteers every week.

This event, occurring every Wednesday at 5 p.m., is held in the Mascoutah Dorm day room and is open to ranks of airman basic through senior airmen. Spouses and children of these Airmen are welcome, too.

Senior Airman Andrew Gray, 375th Logistic Readiness Squadron, said, "It's by the Airmen, for the Airmen, to the Airmen."

The meals cooked for each dinner are varied. The main entrees, desserts and drinks range from barbeque to Italian to satisfy many different tastes and flavors.

The whole chapel staff is involved with planning and coordinating the Airmen dinners.

"The staff really wants to look over the Airmen and provide a sense of community for them," said Tech. Sgt. Jahn Espino, 375th Chapel Operations NCO in charge. "To serve the Airmen is the purpose of the dinners."

These dinners offer an informal setting where volunteers cook the food, and chaplains and Airmen can meet and talk. It provides an environment for Airmen, especially newer ones, to meet new people outside of their work place.

Lt. Col. Christine Blice-Baum, 375th Air Mobility Wing chaplain, said chaplains want to get to know and be available to the Airmen.

"When we meet the Airmen, we're not interested in what they do for a living, but who they are and to help them discover that," she said. "We're really trying to enrich the whole idea of the spiritual pillar in Comprehensive Airman Fitness. So when things get rough they have something extra to hold onto that gives them a purpose to their lives."

The Scott Chapel invites units to volunteer their time to make these meals. The chapel provides the resources to purchase the food. The unit just needs to prepare and serve the meals.

For more information or to sign your unit up, please call the Chapel at 256-3303.