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NCOs' coal delivery keeps kindergarten open for the winter

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Buzanowski
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
GRODZ VILLAGE, Kyrgyzstan --  Last winter the kindergarten was closed for five months because the seven tons of low-quality coal was barely enough to heat the building to prevent pipes from freezing.

"It was useless," said Ms. Sinakul Sadanbekova, principal of Kindergarten Akbulak, of last season's coal. "How can you work and heat two floors without coal? We would have to close the kindergarten again."

Ms. Sadanbekova said when the students returned to school this spring they had "forgot everything they learned. Four months without school is not a joke."

But, thanks to NCOs of the Transit Center at Manas, 10 tons of coal was purchased Nov. 12 - just before the winter season.

"This was a very special visit that was a little different from the other visits," said Staff Sgt. LaTesha Davis, 5/6 Council member and Transit Center representative to the school. "The school is hoping because this coal came from a different source it will burn better. My favorite part of the visit was seeing the look on Ms. Sadanbekova's face when the coal was delivered."

The 5/6 Council is made up of NCOs from across the Transit Center. The vote to spend about $700 on coal was a unanimous "yes." The students, ages 3-7, will now have a school warm enough to attend this winter.