Airman Ministry Center brings Thanksgiving to dorms

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Victor J. Caputo
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  The Airman Ministry Center, better known as the Den, and the base chapel hosted a Thanksgiving feast in Dorm 350 on Nov. 22 for all the Airmen living on base.

The meal was held for the 6th straight year, and is quickly becoming one the Den's staple annual events.

"We've always held this on Black Friday," said Chap. (Maj.) Patrick Knoester, 22nd Air Refueling Wing chaplain. "We wanted to target the Airmen in the dorms who had nowhere to go for the holiday, but we had a different goal this year."

The Chapel and Den staff decided to hold their feast the week before Thanksgiving in an attempt to bring the Airmen in the dorms together before many of them travel back home.

Fifty five percent more Airmen were able to attend the new date, and more than 230 gathered together for the feast.

"It was a huge success," said Airman 1st Class Russell Lund, 22nd Contracting Squadron contracting administrator and Den president. "We fed over half of the dorm population. Airmen from all three dorms attended."

The entire meal, from food to set-up, was put together by the Den staff, members and congregants of the base chapel, and four local churches.

"Our goal was to bring a taste of home and hope to the Airmen," said Knoester.

The Den hosts several events like the Thanksgiving feast every year. The Airman-run program aims to provide a safe and social environment for Airmen to gather in and to foster a strong sense of spiritual strength.

"We're here to help people feel at home, give them stuff to do, and a place to interact," said Lund.

For more information on the Den, please call (316) 759-3562.