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First Sergeants collaborate for season of giving

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Erica Holbert-Siebert
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  The Scott AFB First Sergeants' Council is already reflecting the giving spirit of the season by collaborating with the community for a toy delivery and by kicking off their annual Operation Warm Heart drive, which begins on Black Friday at the Exchange.
Master Sgt. Daniel Libby, Scott First Sergeants' Council president, explained, "First, we've teamed up with H.E.R.O.E.S. Care to deliver toys to our Airmen and their families for Christmas. We've got a great program with this organization, and we've been doing this for several years now. Every year they've been providing us with a great amount of support."

Second, he said that the First Sergeants' Council is gearing up again for the Operation Warm Heart program. This is the time of year they solicit the Scott community for donations to provide financial assistance so they can give grants to any Team Scott member who may be dealing with a unique financial hardship. The funds go toward food stipends, assistance during emergency situations and for those suffering tragedy or loss. One third of the donations collected also go to the Enlisted Widow's Village.

Operation Warm Heart starts on Black Friday, Nov. 27, and lasts through Dec. 18. Volunteers interested in Operation Warm Heart can sign up for hour long shifts through their first sergeants.

Meanwhile, the first sergeants worked with H.E.R.O.E.S. Care, a Missouri-based charity organization of community partners working together to provide support to military families, that just delivered 1,700 toys on Friday for Scott families.

Jon Jerome, H.E.R.O.E.S. Care president, said the joint effort of businesses and organizations such as Veterans United, which donates $30,000 per year to buy toys for military children in the area, is what makes the giving possible to military installations including Scott AFB, Whiteman AFB, Ft. Leonard Wood and the Missouri and Illinois Guard.

"The toys are our donors' way of saying thank you to our military members for everything they do every day," Jerome said. "They give so much, and spend a lot of time away from their families, so this is just a small way of showing our appreciation. We think these kids will be excited because they're pretty cool presents."

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care provides year-round to support military families and donate other items such as the 300,000 diapers every year.

"Remember military families always have this amazing support in the community. This is just our way of showing it," said Jerome.

Libby also reminded Team Scott personnel that the Scott First Sergeants Council is a "great first step" when approached by community members about donations. They serve as the primary organization who has the pulse on the needs of Airmen here and have the network available to distribute items to those in need.