Malmstrom Airman hosts winter coat drive

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jacob M. Thompson
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  To prepare for the upcoming winter weather, an Airman collected coats as part of a coat drive to help the local community.

Airman 1st Class Alicia Pagel, 341st Missile Security Forces Squadron scheduler and dispatcher, collected more than 120 coats for the Great Falls community.

“I called the local shelters to ask how we could help prepare for the winter months,” said Pagel. “We set up donation boxes across the base and received a lot of donations.”

Winter weather in Great Falls can be challenging, as weather can drop below zero degrees and see several feet of snow.

The coats will be distributed to children and adults in the Great Falls area. Fundraisers, such as the coat drive, provide simple ways for the base to have a positive impact on the community.

“We strive to be good stewards of the community and give back in an equal or greater share than the benefits we gain from the community,” said Col. Jennifer Reeves, 341st Missile Wing commander. “We are dedicated to continuing to be a good neighbor to Great Falls, Cascade County, surrounding counties and the state of Montana.”

For Pagel, being a wingman extends not only to fellow Airmen, but to the community as well.

“It’s important to show that we care,” said Pagel. “We are a part of the Great Falls community and when an opportunity such as this is presented, we want to help.”

Not only is being a wingman important at Malmstrom but also across the entire Air Force.

“We in the Air Force are committed to optimizing Airman Culture,” said Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Goldfein. “It is the personal engagement, the social connection and the sense of purpose that comes from being part of something greater than ourselves which sustains us in the face of adversity.”