Community Notes: Week ending Nov. 28 Published Nov. 25, 2008 By 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE. Mont. -- Thrift Store hours outlined The Thrift and Consignment Store will be closed Nov. 25-28 due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The store, which is located in Bldg. 581 on Goddard Drive, will reopen Tuesday, Dec. 2, and resume regular hours. The store's hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays as well as the first Saturday of the month. The store will be open Saturday, Dec. 6. The store currently is accepting winter and Christmas items for consignment. Consignments are accepted until 1 p.m. on days the store is open. Donations are always welcome; all profits go toward Malmstrom Spouses Club scholarships and other welfare projects. For more information, call 731-3213. Volunteers needed for Operation Happy Holidays Volunteers are still needed for Operation Happy Holidays. This program ships holiday packages, including home-made cookies, to deployed service members from Montana, including Malmstrom. Cookie baking and packaging will take place Dec. 1st through Dec. 4th from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the VFW Post located on 10th Avenue South. Boxes will be packed Dec. 5 starting at 10 a.m. at building 800. Those interested in volunteering can call Dimmer Kjelsrud at 761-8300, extension 196 to sign up. Commissioning information briefs scheduled Capt. Julie Nash, from DET 450 at the Montana State University, will be a Malmstrom Dec. 5 to conduct briefings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The briefings will cover the Air Force ROTC program, opportunities at the Air Force Academy and Officer Training School. The briefing will take place in room 101 at the Education and Training Center. Call 731- 3531 for more information. Base to hold tree-lighting ceremony The annual base tree-lighting ceremony, cookie and card contests will be held at 5 p.m. Dec. 5, at the Grizzly Bend Club. Entry forms for the cookie contest are due by noon Nov 26. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Entries to the card contest are due by Nov. 29. Cash prizes go to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. For more information, go to 341fss.com. Base housing residents are reminded to rake and prune Now that the growing season is over, there are still some yard and garden tasks that need attention. Gardens must be cleaned, weeded and raked level for the winter season. Dead flowers should be removed or cut to ground level. Shrubs should be pruned before the weather gets colder. Do not pull shrubs, bushes or trees without permission from the base housing office. For more information, call 731-3056 or 731-4625. OCF looking for members After a three year hiatus, the Officers Christian Fellowship is recommencing at Malmstrom. OCF's focus is on Biblical fellowship and outreach. This organization readily serves both enlisted and officer personnel. Everyone is welcome. If you are interested, call Capt. Chad Cohoon at 731-3106 or 788-0006. More can be learned about Officers Christian Fellowship at http://ocf.gospelcom.net/about/about.php Ski season specials at Outdoor Recreation Discounted lift tickets for Showdown Ski Area are once again available to military members and their families. A military appreciation weekend at Big Sky Resort is scheduled Dec. 12 to 14. Call Outdoor Recreation at 731-3263 for more information on both. Big Brothers Big Sisters needs volunteers Fifty young boys in the Great Falls Area are in need of being paired with a Big Brother. Volunteers need to be at least 19 years old and be committed to sharing fun time with the child they are paired with. Volunteers will undergo a thorough screening process and will receive training. For more information, call 453-5521.