Airmen donate time to local ReStore

  • Published
  • By Don Branum
  • Academy Spirit staff writer
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  The Habitat for Humanity ReStore sits at the corner of Costilla Street and Wahsatch Avenue near downtown Colorado Springs. It accepts donations of construction materials from local retailers, contractors and individuals and sells those goods at a good discount to shoppers.

Someone, however, has to move the inventory from the donation area to the warehouse and then to the retail area. That's where about 50 Airmen from the Air Force Academy's 5/6 and Airmen's councils stepped in Saturday to help.

"You've heard of 'Two Men and a Truck.' How about 30 guys and a mission?" asked Staff Sgt. Trevor Hudson, the 5/6 Council president who works in the 10th Medical Group's Nuclear Medicine clinic.

Airman 1st Class William Brown organized the event.

"I was trying to arrange for a group of volunteers to build a house, but there were no slots," explained Airman Brown, who is assigned to the 10th Medical Group. Habitat for Humanity pointed Airman Brown to the ReStore, which was willing to accept "as many of us as possible."

The Airmen volunteered in two three-hour shifts. The first shift of about 30 Airmen showed up at 9 a.m. and left at noon, while the second shift of about 20 volunteers worked from 1 to 4 p.m. Combined, the groups saved Habitat for Humanity about $1,500 in labor costs, Sergeant Hudson said.

"It's easy to stay at home on the weekend, but if you really want to make a change, you've got to go out and help," he said.