Annual AFAF campaign to kick off Feb. 23

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William O'Brien
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The Edwards 2009 Air Force Assistance Fund Campaign begins Feb. 23 with a kick-off event at Club Muroc and will last for six weeks. 

"Everyone is invited to the kickoff event," said 2nd Lt. Myogene Park, 95th Comptroller Squadron contract specialist. "There will be refreshments and it will be everyone's first opportunity to make a donation." 

The goal of the AFAF committee is to get all base personnel aware of the campaign and 50 percent participation. 

"We want everyone on base to know we're doing this," said Lieutenant Park. "The more people who know about it the more likely we are to get higher participation numbers."
To make sure everyone knows how to fill out the donation form, the unit representatives cover everything that needs to be filled out and how to do so properly prior to the kickoff so they can assist participants. 

The AFAF is comprised of four charities that assist active duty, Guardsmen, Reservists, retirees and dependents who are in need of financial assistance. Those charities are the Air Force Aid Society, the Air Force Enlisted Village Foundation, the General and Mrs. E. LeMay Foundation and the Air Force Village Foundation. 

"This year, Capt. (Justin) Higham and I have decided to have a pre-kickoff event training session with unit project officers before the event so that we could have our unit project officers ready to help other event guests fill out donation slips." 

During the event, guest speakers will discuss the importance of AFAF and the direct affect the money has on base personnel. 

Last year, a total of $62,238 was given to base personnel through the AFAF's four different charities. 

For more information about donating to the AFAF, visit www.afassistancefund.org.