Airman's Attic to celebrate grand re-opening

  • Published
  • By Ann Patton
  • Special to the Academy Spirit
The Airman's Attic here is scheduled to celebrate its new home with a grand reopening at the new location in the Douglass Valley Housing Area July 27 at 11:30 a.m.

The event will include a performance by the Air Force Academy Band and refreshments made by children from the School Age Program's cooking club, said Lt. Col. Michael Jacobson, deputy director of the 10th Force Support Squadron.

The Attic moved from its old location near the 10th Air Base Wing headquarters to 4701 East Ponderosa Drive and is now housed in two adjoining family quarters.

The Attic is open on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is also open the first Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Eligible customers are active duty E-5s and below from all service branches. However, the Attic is open to all ranks the third Thursday of each month.

Attic volunteer manager Cassie Nordin said the new space is double that of the old, and merchandise has more than doubled as well, in good part from the generosity of the non-profit organization The Redistribution Center, based in Wheat Ridge, Colo. The organization collects slightly damaged or discontinued retail items and distributes them to needy causes.

"They are our best supplier and one of the reasons we can keep our doors open," she said.

The new location is much more convenient, especially for families with only one car, Mrs. Nordin said.

"Now our customers are able to walk to us, and we can help people better," she said.

Much like a department store (except for the price, which is free), the Attic has designated areas and rooms for groups of similar items and its shelves stay well-stocked. The baby room contains toys, car seats, cribs, clothes, bassinettes and more. The toddler room is similar but also has books. Another room holds clothes for junior to adult ages and uniform items.

In home décor shoppers can find candles, vases, curtains, pillows, bedding and lamps. Another home décor room contains large items such as rugs, chairs and exercise equipment. An electronics section offers such items as hard drives, monitors, televisions and printers. Bathroom items are in the facility's bathroom. The kitchen room has "everything possible" for a kitchen, Mrs. Nordin said, including silverware, coffee pots, bread makers, microwaves, baking equipment, pots and pans, mini fridges, linens and trash cans.

Attic volunteers can retrieve and show furniture as requested from the furniture room. Outside are bikes, propane tanks and grills.

"People have things to make a house," Mrs. Nordin said. "We provide things to make a house a home."

Mrs. Nordin said those who wish to donate should do so only when the Attic is open. Volunteers do not accept undergarments or food. Donations should be clean and in working order. What the Attic needs most is furniture, especially baby furniture.

The Attic always needs volunteers, especially when deliveries from the Distribution Center arrive, and especially a new Attic manager. Mrs. Nordin, who has been manager for more than four years, is leaving. She estimated she spends anywhere from 20-35 hours a week at the Attic.

"The new manager needs to be very, very dedicated," she said.

Volunteers can apply to receive free child care for children 1 year old and up by visiting the Airmen and Family Readiness Center. The Family Child Care program will accept vouchers if they have space available at the time.

Mrs. Nordin said the need for items is going up. Presently the Attic has between 500 and 600 active customers and is seeing between eight and 10 families a week sign up.

Families are limited to 10 miscellaneous items a week, two furniture items per month, 15 baby clothes a week and, from toddler to adults, "what they need within reason," she said.