Bolling exceeds AFAF contribution goal by 52 percent

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robert Wollenberg
  • 11th Wing Public Affairs
Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., raised $38,234 during this year's Air Force Assistance Fund drive, exceeding the preset goal of $25,030 by more than 50 percent.

"This year's campaign has been the benchmark for future campaigns," said 1st Lt. Peter Mask, Alternate AFAF representative for Bolling and Andrews AFB. "It's truly an honor to have been part of such a great charity for the Air Force and our Airmen."

AFAF donations go to the Air Force Village Foundation, Air Force Aid Society, General and Mrs. LeMay Foundation, and the Air Force Enlisted Village to provide support for active duty Air Force members, retirees, reservists, Guardsmen and dependents including surviving spouses.

Senior Airman Luther Reedy, U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, is one beneficiary of AFAF.

"I was a young airman 1st class when my truck broke down. My wife and I were expecting our first child and needed a vehicle to make appointments and for me to get to work," Airman Reedy said.

Unable to afford the repairs to his vehicle, he turned to his supervisor and first sergeant for help.

"The shirt made a phone call and I was in the financial aid office that afternoon. I was asked how much the cost of the transmission would be and 15 minutes later I had a check," explained the Airman.

"My car was fixed the next day," he said. "Without the support of the AFAF my wife and I would have been very hard pressed to make the appointments and for me to make it to work."

Airman 1st Class Arica Hampton, Honor Guard, also benefited from AFAF.

"The Air Force Assistance Fund helped me pay for plane tickets to get home for my cousin's funeral," explained Airman Hampton. "An allotment was set up in which I only have to pay about $15 per paycheck for the next six months to pay back the money."

Airman Hampton donates $10 per month to AFAF.

"I was donating to AFAF before I needed their assistance," she said. "I never thought an emergency situation like that would occur. I'm grateful this society exists because I was able to go home and be with my family in their time of mourning."

"AFAF is a great organization and I encourage everybody to donate. You never know when you might need financial assistance, and the AFAF is there to help every Airman, no matter their rank," Airman Reedy said.

For more information, logon to http://www.afassistancefund.org/.