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Airmen volunteer, strengthen partnership

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jerome C. Baysmore
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
NIZNE-CHUISK VILLAGE, Kyrgyzstan --  Manas Area Benefit Outreach Society representatives helped a local school prepare for an upcoming class here June 7.

Several Transit Center at Manas Airmen volunteers donated their time to help repaint the hallways and floors in "Niz Village" during the school summer break.

"Kids are my passion--I like kids, and I try to do what I can to help out," said Master Sgt. Michael Dinneen, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain assistant and Niz Village MABOS focus group leader. "We try to do what we can to help out the school.

"We don't speak the language, but kids really don't care. They just want some attention and someone to hang out with; I can do that," the Hawaii Air National Guardsman continued. "I think it helps our morale at the Transit Center to get the chance to get out, interact with the locals and help where we can."

Senior Airman Kelsey Liriano-Wilson, 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron aircrew flight equipment specialist, agreed.

"This is my second time at Manas, and I've always loved going to the orphanages helping out and playing with the kids," she said. Airman Liriano-Wilson is deployed from the 92nd Operations Support Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. "I think it's a great opportunity for us to help the community."

Although the children were out for their break, the volunteers didn't mind.

"It didn't matter much to me," said Senior Airman Samantha Lewis, 728th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-17 Supply technician deployed here from the 60th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. "It's definitely an experience and I wanted to take the opportunity to come out and explore a little bit. I wanted to get out to see what it's like here. It puts things in perspective as to why we help out where we can."