Kadena Airmen provide relief to Minot flood victims

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher Hummel
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) --  Members of Kadena Air Base gathered for a 5K fundraiser Sept. 1 to help Airmen and their families who were affected by recent flooding at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.

In what was called a "100-year flood," more than 10,000 residents of the town as well as nearly 1,000 Airmen were displaced by record flooding.

More than 130 Airmen navigated the 3.1-mile course in a show of support for members of the 5th Bombing Wing and 91st Missile Wing.

"This run meant a lot to me," said Senior Airman Mary Fawcett, a member of the 18th Dental Squadron and first-place finisher in the women's category. "I just returned from a deployment to Iraq where I was stationed with a lot of Airmen from Minot (AFB). They returned to a home damaged by this flood."

The fundraiser was put on by a 13-member coordination team led by Tech. Sgt. Kevin Brown of the 718th Civil Engineer Squadron. The team helped participants follow through with their desire to lend a hand.

"We started planning the event in June during the height of their emergency," Brown said. "Our (Kadena Air Base) 56 group contacted the first sergeants council at Minot AFB to offer our assistance."

Local North Dakotans and Minot AFB Airmen weren't the only people impacted by the disaster. In a June 27 announcement, Air Force officials halted all moves to Minot -- a decision that has yet to be rescinded.

Brown said the event raised $2,000 toward flood relief efforts.

"The funds we were able to raise today will hopefully be able to replace things lost in the flood," said Tech. Sgt. Saquadrea Crosby, another event coordinator from the 18th Aerospace Medical Squadron. "Maybe some of the money can be used to purchase supplies for school, which is just about to start over there."