How We Impact the Community
I am often asked who we are and what we do as a club. I've been asked if this is the club where you pay for friends? I've been told of bad experiences in spouses clubs and I've seen the face people make when you say you are with the spouses club. I guess I'm just lucky that I found an amazing group of women who see more in each other than just a social get together. They see that volunteering is vital to our base thrift shop, they see that passing out Valentines to deployed spouses is important to lift each other up, they see that spending a day serving soup to the homeless is a day well spent, and that sometimes life is hard and we all need a little help.
The Spouses Club annually applies for a grant from Tierra Vista-Lendlease. We have been lucky enough to be awarded several grants over the last few years to put towards community outreach projects. We have worked with Kids Against Hunger, we made back packs with much needed school supplies, and this year we have helped start and maintain the new food pantry inside the Airman's Attic. It's hard to put into words what it feels like to take $1,000.00 to the commissary and shop for non perishable groceries. The looks we received and the people that smiled and gave us coupons towards those groceries were priceless. We were stopped more than once and asked if we were crazy couponers! As we lugged 5 carts full to the brim with cereal, oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, baby food, diapers, wipes, crackers, applesauce, and more to the check out we had such a sense of accomplishment and excitement. We were met with smiles and hugs at Airman's Attic when we pulled up and began to unload. Not only did we fill the shelves for those that need it, we stocked their supply closet for weeks to follow.
So what does the Spouses Club do? We spend our time thinking about how we can help not just those in need but our military family in need. We foster a support system for those far away from family with monthly coffees, playgroups, book clubs, and lunch groups. We run a thrift shop that funds $10,000 in scholarships annually. As President, I run a 501c3 non profit. Big words that at the beginning of our year I had no idea what they meant. This club has brought new opportunities for me to grow and learn as a person. I have perhaps found a new passion in life for myself. As a military spouse we sometimes loose a bit of ourselves in the moves and daily motherhood routine and this club has brought me back to doing things I enjoy. Things that make me feel apart of something bigger. It's never too late to reach out and join our spouses club. We always need people to join our board and bring new ideas to the table. All you need is a passion for being a part of something bigger. It feels good to do good and that's what we are all about.