Grissom volunteers win "People's Choice" award Published Dec. 15, 2005 By Technical Sgt. Doug Hays 434th ARW Public Affairs Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind -- For four years volunteers from the 434th Air Refueling Wing have been entering a tree into the We Care’s Christmas Tree fund raising competition. And for four years in a row they’ve walked away with the People’s Choice Award. “The real winners are those that receive help from We Care,” said Tech. Sgt. Larry Flook, an aircraft mechanic and volunteer. So far, the tree entered by Flook and about 20 other volunteers has raised more than $1800 for We Care and the charities it supports. The theme for this year’s tree was ‘An Armed Forces Christmas.’ The tree was decked out in decorations that reflected each of the armed services stationed at Grissom. Voters in the community could cast a vote for their favorite tree by putting change in a bucket next to each of the 20 trees. At a penny a vote, the tree from Grissom tallied more than $830 to win top honors. The tree was then auctioned off, and fetched another $1,000. The high bidder then donated the tree back to We Care for it to be auctioned again in an early December telethon. “We Care is special because all the money stays in the local community,” he said. “We let them know that Grissom is here, and helping the community in which we live.” The volunteers decorate the tree with ornaments they buy out of their own pockets, or purchase with special Christmas funds donated to them from groups on base and local veteran organizations. The volunteers, comprised mostly of members of the 434th Maintenance Group, spend weeks getting decorations together and whole thing turns into a three and a half to four hour decorating frenzy as they prepare the tree for display. “I enjoy standing back and watching people as they go from tree to tree looking at the decorations,” Sergeant Flook said. “People will see special things and point them out, or ask where we got that. Their reactions are my favorite part.” While the trees from Grissom have been successful, Sergeant Flook said much of that success is in part to the wives that also volunteer to help with the project. “They are really a big help,” he said. The group hopes to continue its streak next year…by entering the competition again. “We know we can’t win every year,” he said, “but we want people to know that at Grissom – We Care too.”
