Manas Airmen making a difference in the local community

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Daniel Nathaniel
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFNEWS) --  After Manas Air Base was established here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Air Force and 376th Air Expeditionary Wing officials wanted to find a way to show their appreciation to their new neighbors.

To achieve this, the Manas Air Base Outreach Society was established in December 2003.

"For us to have this land here and to utilize this space and not do anything for the community, not do anything for the citizens of this country who are hosting us is just wrong," said Capt. Rich Zaler, officer advisor to MABOS.

The society provides charitable donations, goods and services to people and organizations in the areas surrounding the base.

One notable charity is the Children's Heart Fund. The fund was established to save local children who were born with heart defects.

Surgeons, who work for the fund, donate their time and labor to repair the defects. MABOS pays for the oxygenator filter necessary to accomplish the open-heart surgery.
Each filter costs $560.

To date, sixty-one children have been saved through surgeries funded by MABOS, said Chaplain (Capt.) Sean Randall, MABOS chairman.

MABOS also has funded a brain surgery as well, said Chaplain Randall.

Another cause that MABOS is passionate about is the Babushka Elderly Foundation.

This Central Asian Nongovernmental Organization was established to give hope and restore dignity to elderly citizens.

Babushka is the Russian word for grandmother.

MABOS members take the babushkas out for lunch periodically as well as help them with financial support and donated goods.

"The criteria is that (babushkas) have to make less than a pension of 800 som per month which is roughly about $20 dollars a month," Captain Zaler said. "We provide financial support in the amount of $10 per month."

This support allows the women to buy basic necessities they couldn't otherwise afford.
Other causes that MABOS supports are the Children's Cancer Center, Habitat for Humanity and four different orphanages.

One of these orphanages is Tok Mok II which takes care of children between the ages of six and 17 years old.

The focus group leader for this orphanage is Tech. Sgt. Scott Hallaway, who is on his second deployment here from the 55th Security Forces Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Before he arrived for his current tour, the orphanage had a dormitory with a foundation that was falling apart, Sergeant Hallaway said. Through MABOS efforts, half of the dormitory was repaired.

MABOS is working on a grant to fund restoration of the other half of the dormitory, said Sergeant Hallaway.

MABOS is supported by many sources.

"We don't openly solicit," said Captain Zaler. "We tell people what we are doing and they volunteer and send stuff to us."

A lot of members ask people back home for donations.

"One of the things that we are able to do as a non-profit organization is that we able to receive funds," said Captain Zaler.

"We always need funds to replenish our budget," Captain Zaler said. "We never know when another child is going to need another heart surgery at $560. We never know what other things might come up."

In addition to monetary donations, clothing items and personal hygiene items are always welcome.

Since its inception, approximately 3,100 members have invested approximately 30,000 man-hours in the various MABOS-sponsored causes.

"We have the opportunity to do a lot of good here," said Captain Zaler. "To continue to lay the ground work so that when the next rotation comes in they are not scrambling to get funds at the last minute for their organization."

Anyone wishing to help MABOS by volunteering his or her time or donating goods can email sean.randall@maab.centaf.af.mil

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