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Treats 2 Troops, Spokane gives back to deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Mackenzie Richardson
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Team Fairchild volunteers packed more than 400 care packages for deployed military members as part of KREM 2 News’ initiative, Treats 2 Troops, Nov. 29.

KREM 2 partnered with Team Fairchild for the seventh year in a row to fill care packages with small treats and gifts such as sunflower seeds, chewing gum, hand sanitizer, homemade knit hats and holiday cards made by local schools.

“Treats 2 Troops has been such a wonderful experience. It’s been a great opportunity to work with our community partners to put together packages for our Airmen overseas,” said Kelley Cargle, Officer Spouses’ Club vice president of operations. “It’s wonderful having such a supportive community around the base. These packages are just a little something that brings a smile to the Airmen who can’t be here and don’t have all the comforts of home this holiday season.”

Treats 2 Troops contributions are not only distributed to Air Force members from Fairchild; our sister services, including the Army, Navy and Marines, also receive packages from the Inland Northwest community.

“In 2015, I received a Treats 2 Troops package and I wasn’t even assigned here to Fairchild,” said Col. Ryan Samuelson, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander. “Just to get a package down range, that unique gift, it makes all the difference to our Airmen and other services represented down range. This community once again has provided incredible support to not only this base, but all military members in the area.”

KREM 2, with the help of their Treats 2 Troops partners, began collecting donations the beginning of November. Thanks to the community’s efforts, thousands of items were donated and collected in less than a month to benefit military members serving overseas during the holiday season.

“Treats 2 Troops is a great program that gives Airmen the feeling of home with unique care packages,” said Senior Airman Ricardo Longarini, 92nd Air Refueling Squadron aviation resource manager. “Receiving my Treats 2 Troops care package gave me the boost of morale that I needed to get through my deployment.”