Team Edwards gears up for Air Force Ball

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  On Sept. 21, Team Edwards is scheduled to gather at Hangar 1600 for a gala event.

The Edwards Air Force Ball celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Air Force as an independent service.

"The theme for the event is 'Zero to Sixty and Still Accelerating,'" said Lt. Col. John Lopardi, 95th Medical Group deputy commander and one of the co-chairman for the Air Force Ball committee.

Right now, the Air Force Ball committee is focusing on getting the word out that the celebration is coming, said Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Thomas, 95th Air Base Wing Command Post noncommissioned officer in charge and marketing officer on the event committee.

The Air Force Ball team includes protocol and catering, decorations, entertainment, flyover and static displays, script, marketing and commemorative gifts, communications, security forces, budget, fund raising, and ticket sales.

For catering, the committee reviewed several catering companies competing for the event and eventually contracted the "Bedazzled Catering Company" based out of Anaheim, Calif. Overall cost for the catering company is $37,000 for 800 people.

"Our goal is to pay off the catering costs through ticket sales," Colonel Lopardi said.

For entertainment, the committee is hoping to land free entertainment, he said.

Musicians who are "locked in" for the event include the Air Force Band of the Golden West and Mylin. Other celebrity entertainers have expressed interest in the event as well.

"Trying to get these groups of entertainers is no easy task, however, we will do everything we can to ensure we get great music and entertainment," Colonel Lopardi said.

One of the most difficult challenges ahead is to convert Hangar 1600 into an attractive and presentable place for a gala event, he said.

The decorations committee headed by Capt. Caroline Plahuta has some great ideas and will be handling that responsibility to include acoustic and lighting concerns, he said.

"Since there is no funding available for the ball, the committee is raising money on its own," Colonel Lopardi said. "We have external resources who are heavily engaged in the Antelope Valley community. The goal is to solicit funding to support the ball from large corporation."

The colonel and the committee are now focused on a "strong push" to encourage early ticket sales. The money will not only fund the catering but also help offset additional cost for the event.

But the biggest part in making this event a success are the volunteers, Sergeant Thomas said.

"We have a great group of volunteers (military and civilians) who are putting in several extra hours in addition to performing their normal duty," Colonel Lopardi said. "We have 30 to 40 volunteers who make up the committee. They are an energetic group of people with sharp minds and incredible work ethic going above and beyond to ensure this will be a spectacular Air Force Ball."

The Air Force Ball is a great way for Team Edwards to come together and truly appreciate and commemorate the history of the Air Force and flight test, Sergeant Thomas said.

"We encourage our young troops to get involved and participate in this event," she said.