KMC brings smiles to children's faces

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amber Bressler
  • 435 Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WARSAW, Poland --  Two pallets filled with toys collected by the Kaiserslautern Military Community 5/6 Club were recently loaded onto a C-130E Hercules and flown by the 37th Airlift Squadron from Ramstein Air Base to the Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport in Poland. 

The donated goods were destined for children from the Slovk, Poland area. 

Three children from the My Home, My Future children's home located in Slvok traveled for hours to receive their gifts, meet the U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe, and meet Air Force servicemembers.

One boy, Patryk Kubik, even received a coin from Brig. Gen. Bill Bender, 86th Airlift Wing commander, to celebrate his 12th birthday.

"We are very happy to receive these gifts," said Klaudiusz Dyjas, director of My Home, My Future. "Childcare houses from around Slvok will benefit from this donation because there are so many toys."

The children were not the only people happy because of the gift donations.

"We are grateful for the U.S. Air Force and glad they are here," said Ambassador Ashe. "It's good to see smiles on the children's faces."

The 5/6 Club was also proud to be a part of this occasion.

"I was honored to meet the ambassador and felt very proud to represent such a wonderful organization as KMC 5/6," said Staff Sgt. Michelle Miller, 17th Air Force commander's support staff non-commissioned officer in charge and KMC 5/6 representative, who presented the toys to the children. "I was so happy to present the kids with the donated items--that was worth the whole trip."

Although the 5/6 Club was a big part of the effort, they were not alone, many of the toys were collected from several different organizations. 

According to Tech. Sgt. Bryan Daniel, KMC 5/6 Club president, a few of the organizations that contributed to the toy drive were the Airman's Attic, Books R Magic used book store, the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and the Ramstein Girl Scouts.

"There were several people who showed up with entire vans full of goods," he said. "This was truly an inspirational event, one that renews ones faith in the goodness of others."

The KMC 5/6 Club was founded in 2002 and has been no stranger to supporting the needs of both military and civilian organizations, said Sergeant Daniel.

"This trip to Poland fell right in line with what we do every day as public servants," he added. "We are proud to have been able to contribute to the greater European good."

This year celebrates 90 years of Polish-American diplomatic relations. The United States was the first country to recognize the newly independent Poland, a country and its people who were severely damaged by war, according to http://poland.usembassy.gov.