It's going to be a blue Christmas

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joanna M. Kresge
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  For more than 10 years the Barksdale Santas in Blue program has helped countless children celebrate the holiday season.

SIB is an annual program sponsored by the Air Force Sergeants Association and the Barksdale Top Three to provide gifts for more than 400 children in foster care, a tradition which will continue under Air Force Global Strike Command.

"Wish lists are provided by the children's case workers in the different parishes," said Senior Master Sgt. Clayton Lowry, co-chairperson for the SIB committee. "Once all the wish lists are populated, we break it down by unit and send the lists out to the gift coordinators in those units.

"Sometimes monetary donations are collected by the gift coordinator and they'll buy all the gifts, or volunteers come forward to fulfill the wish list of one particular child," he continued.

Once all the gifts are purchased a party is held in the children's honor.

"The children will get to visit with Santa, receive their gifts and there will be food and fun for all," said Master Sgt. Tizana Smith, co-chairperson for the SIB committee.

With gifts and festivities many of the children get to celebrate the holiday in a way they may never have before.

"When the sponsor gives their gifts to the children, it's not too different from Christmas morning," said Sergeant Lowry. "It really is a unique moment."

Sergeant Smith says she continues to work with the program every year to see the reactions of the children.

"My favorite part of the program is seeing the children's faces when they get the gift they really wanted, it's just sheer excitement," she said.

Numerous volunteers and donations are needed each year to help keep the program going.

"We need volunteers to help ensure that this year's special events go off without a hitch," said Sergeant Smith. "And of course, individuals can get the children's wish lists from their organization's point of contact to help make that child have one of their best holiday seasons ever."

A children's party will be held on Dec. 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bossier Civic Center, and a teen party will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Hot Wheels Skating Rink in Bossier to present the gifts to the kids.

For more information contact Sergeant Smith at tizana.smith@barksdale.af.mil or Sergeant Lowry at clayton.lowry@barksdale.af.mil.