Operation Open Wings: Helping the Haitian victims

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Rey Ramon
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  A tremor that occurred here in Okinawa a couple of weeks ago shook loose an idea in the mind of Kadena Airman 1st Class Jennifer Crouse: Operation Open Wings, a way for Team Kadena members to come together to raise financial support for the people of Haiti devastated by the massive Jan. 13earthquake.

"We contacted a couple of organizations to help bring this together," said Airman Crouse, an 18th Civil Engineer Squadron operations manager. "We thought this could be a great Team Kadena project."

After she shared with the Airmen Committed to Excellence and the Kadena Fire Department, the idea of Operation Open Wings spread quickly to other base organizations such as Top 3, 5/6 Club, Operation Warmheart, Kadena Chiefs Group and First Sergeants Council, bringing together Kadena's collective brainpower to find ways to help those in need.

Now, just a couple of weeks later, Team Kadena has raised nearly $30,000 for the Haiti earthquake victims. The 18th Wing Chapel contributed $14,000, collected from its attendees, and the Kadena Fire Department raised nearly $3,000 with a "Fill the Boot" campaign. The Kadena Middle School held a fundraiser from Jan. 21-28, raising over $2K, and a 5K run hosted Feb. 5 by Airmen Committed to Excellence and Operation Warmheart raised $8,000, with $1,500 of that sum coming from the Airman Leadership School.

Though grateful for the contributions to date, Mr. Gerry Bailey, assistant station manager at the American Red Cross, the organization to which all the money collected so far has been donated, says that the need will surely continue.

"The generous contributions from the military community on Okinawa will assist in the relief efforts in many ways," said Mr. Bailey. "The relief efforts in Haiti will continue for months and possibly years to come and contributions will continue to be needed in the future."

With this in mind, Operation Open Wings has plans for additional fundraisers in the coming days, to include a Company Grade Officers' Council Bake Sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kadena Post Office Feb. 12, and a Top 3 bowling tournament from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Emery Lanes Feb. 19.

"This is our chance to come together and give back to a country, a people that need our help rebuild their community," said Airman Crouse.
If you want to donate outside of the scheduled events, please contact Airman Crouse at 634-2424 or Senior Airman Shaunlee Hostutler at 634-3813.