AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- Nearly 20 command sponsored families participated in the Breakfast with Santa event at the Blatchford-Preston Complex Dining Facility at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar Dec. 19.
The event provided families with an opportunity to come together and enjoy various activities such as a pajama contest, designing holiday stockings, decorating gingerbread cookies and coloring.
Santa, played by Brig. Gen. Darren James, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, and two of his elves, played by Col. Stuart Newberry, 379 AEW vice commander and Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Good, 379 AEW command chief, greeted every child in attendance and gave each child a gift.
“This was awesome, it’s a great way to get families together and celebrate the holiday,” said Maj. Trent Brower, Combined Air and Space Operations Center. “It was great for the kids.”
Capt Christopher Fosburg, 379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron Operations Flight commander, brought his five children to the event and said he’s glad he did.
“We’ve had a rough month so it was nice to come out here and participate,” he said. “Events like this are really all we have.”
“We don’t have many moments to get together as a family due to work and everything and events like this provide an opportunity to create memories,” Fosburg said.
Kimberly Lowe, 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron community relations specialist and the organizer of the event, said it’s important military families feel appreciated.
“Events like this help our families know, that even though they are far from home, there is still a community here to support them,” Lowe said.
Lowe said she was thrilled every child left with a smile and for all the support base leadership and volunteers showed during the event.
One of those volunteers was Capt. Crystal Provuncher, 379th AEW Inspector General exercise planner, who helped children build snowmen.
“I wanted to help out,” Provuncher said. “It gives me a little taste of Christmas and it doesn’t always feel like that here.”
After meeting with every child and handing out gifts, Santa and his elves left on a fire truck as several children chased after him.