Reservists shower island home with cheer

Published May 27, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Tanya King
403rd Wing Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- It was business as usual, hauling loads of supplies to and from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Keesler's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron maintains a detachment for use during hurricane season.

That changed when Master Sgt. Paul Wood of the 403rd Maintenance Squadron did a little research at his wife Pamela's urging.

She suggested the Air Force Reserve Command unit take hygiene items, toys, clothing, bedding and canned goods to a children's home on the island if such a place existed. After asking around, Sergeant Wood learned of the Queen Louise Home for Children.

In December 2008, reservists from the 403rd Wing left for St. Croix to pack up their detachment at the end of hurricane season. Normally they would have flown empty WC-130Js to the detachment, returning with planes full of equipment. Instead, they flew down with 35 boxes weighing a total of 822 pounds for the Queen Louise Home.

Although the aircraft were full of equipment as they flew to St. Croix in May for the hurricane season roll-out trip, the reservists still managed to squeeze on eight boxes weighing a total of 160 pounds for delivery to the Queen Louise Home.

The reservists delivered the boxes and visited the children on a sunny Saturday afternoon at their home. In addition, 53rd WRS Hurricane Hunters spoke with the children about their jobs and answered questions they had.

The children are orphans or they are disabled mentally or physically and their parents are unable to care for them. In addition to caring for the children, volunteers and staff work with parents and expectant mothers, teaching them life-skills such as hygiene and finance, health and nutrition, personal empowerment and educational tools.

The home serves the U.S. Virgin Islands and has been operating for 140 years. It receives 80 percent of its funding from the federal government and raises funds to cover the difference, according to Junia Straker, chief executive officer of Lutheran Social Services, the parent organization of the home.

"Many times you hear in the news how negative people are, and being a non-profit organization, we just get to see how giving people are," said Ms. Straker. "I am just always so amazed at how people can give to people they have never seen."

In his spare time, Sergeant Wood gets the word out about collecting donations for the home.

"My wife can't fly on the planes with us, so I am just carrying out her inspiration," he said.

Ms. Wood keeps a lookout for sales on twin bed sheets, baby wipes and other hygiene items while she shops for her own household items, said Sergeant Wood. The Wood family also purchased a laptop for the children's home.

"The 403rd has been going down to St. Croix for years," said Sergeant Wood. "They are pretty nice to us down there, so we were just looking at what we can give back to the community. My wife deserves 95 percent of the credit because she came up with the idea." (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)