Team Edwards gives dorm dwellers free, home-cooked meals

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Stacy Sanchez
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Edwards volunteers provided Airmen and Marines with a free, home-cooked meal during a dorm dweller dinner Jan. 30 in the Chapel 1 Annex. 

About 45 volunteers served meals to more than 90 Airmen and Marines as well as prepared 45 to-go meals for Airmen on duty. 

"The purpose of this event is to bring a good and healthy home-cooked meal to the Airmen and Marines," said Staff Sgt. James Shepherd, First Term Airmen Center lead instructor.

The Mardi Gras- inspired meal included jambalaya, gumbo, king cakes, red beans and rice, fried chicken, Cajun mash potatoes and corn on the cob. 

"The food was really good,' said Senior Airman Donna Yap, 95th Medical Squadron pediatrics technician. "This was the first time I've ate Cajun food." 

This event also gave base leadership the opportunity to interact with the dorm residents, Sergeant Shepherd said. 

Brig. Gen. David Eichhorn, Air Force Flight Test Center commander; Col. Bryan Gallagher, 95th Air Base Wing commander; Col. Arnie Bunch, 412th Test Wing commander; and Marine Lt. Col. Thomas McCarthy, Marine Aircraft Group 46 Detachment Bravo commanding officer, helped serve the Cajun meals to the dorm residents. 

During the event, volunteers also drove to the dormitories and picked up residents who wanted to attend but did not have a ride. 

Cooking Support was provided by the Enlisted Spouses Club as well as the Officers' Spouses' Club, Edwards Top-3, Chiefs Group, First Sergeants Association, Airman's Council, Middle Tier Association and the Air Force Sergeants Association. 

Donating supplies for the event were The Commissary and the Base Exchange as well as Panera Bread, an off-base restaurant specializing in baked breads. Club Muroc donated the to-go supplies for the event. 

Sergeant Shepherd said the event shows how much the base cares about the dorm residents. 

"I think it boosts their morale up knowing that we are still thinking of them even though they are in the dorms," he said.