33d Fighter Wing takes time to give back Published Dec. 20, 2007 By Capt Brooke Brander 33d Fighter Wing Public Affairs EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- With their academics taken care of the pilots of the 58th Fighter Squadron took time to give back to the local community during the holiday season. Over the month of December the pilots volunteered with Shelter House in Crestview, Fla., Sacred Heart Children's Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., Habitat for Humanity in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. and Jr. Reserve Officer Training Course classes at Niceville High School in Niceville, Fla., and Ft. Walton Beach and Choctawhatchee High Schools in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. Starting off the volunteering, seven members from the 58th FS traveled to Crestview to work on a house belonging to Shelter House, Dec. 12. "We gutted a full house, throwing out all the old furniture," said 1st Lt. Vaimana Conner, 58th FS F-15C pilot and volunteer. "We filled up a large construction-sized dumpster with the old furniture and then we cleaned the house once it was emptied." The seven pilots, along with two employees of Shelter House, took about two and half hours to complete the job. "The before and after picture was amazing," said Lieutenant Conner. "We were surprised we filled the dumpster. The women in the house were grateful for the help. It probably would have taken the two of them two days to clean out the house, but all of us were able to get in done in about two hours." Shelter House opened its doors Jan. 27, 1992 and is a domestic violence center serving domestic violence victims of Okaloosa and Walton counties. Dec. 13, five squadron members brought presents to approximately 50 children at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital. The squadron volunteers spent their time hanging out with the children, delivering presents and going room-to-room visiting with the children that couldn't leave their beds. "Some of the kids went room-to-room with us," said Capt. Tucker Hamilton, 58th FS pilot and event organizer. "They are normal kids with terminal illnesses; it's hard to see. But it was great to see their faces light up during our visit...to see them excited about the holidays" The visit was Captain Hamilton's second visit to Sacred Heart Children's Hospital. During the recent visit the captain experienced a number of touching moments. "There was one mom there who had a very sick child that had been in and out of the hospital multiple times," explained Captain Hamilton. "She was very grateful for the visit and the time we spent with her child. It was moving to see she her spirits lifted." Sacred Heart Children's Hospital has been in operation in Pensacola, Fla. since 1969 and is a regional center for children's health care. The hospital provides out-patient services as well as specialized children's care and a variety of educational classes, support groups and seminars that show children and their families how to take an active role in their own health care. The volunteering continued Dec. 13 with Habitat for Humanity in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. Three squadron members spent the day cleaning and helping out around the ReStore. ReStores are retail outlets where quality used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Proceeds from ReStores help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community. Materials sold by Habitat ReStores are usually donated from building supply stores, contractors and demolition crews. Six pilots and two enlisted maintenance Airmen went out to Niceville HS, Ft Walton Beach HS and Choctawhatchee HS to spend Dec. 17 with JROTC students. Capt. Tony Bierenkoven, 2007 U.S. Air Force F-15C Demonstration Team leader and current 58th FS D Flight commander, Capt. Sam Joplin, 2008 USAF F-15C Demonstration Team leader, along with Staff Sgt. Joseph Giordano and Staff Sgt. Darren Pautz, USAF F-15C Demonstration Team crew chiefs spoke to more than 90 students during six JROTC classes throughout the day at Ft. Walton Beach HS. "We were able to talk to the students about both the office and enlisted perspective of an Air Force career," said Captain Bierenkoven. "We talked about some exciting stuff and maybe a kid will want to make the Air Force a career out of high school or to ROTC in college." Over at Choctawhatchee HS, Capt. Richard Jones, 58th FS pilot and Lieutenant Conner spent the day talking to five classes and about 60 JROTC students about the Air Force, being an officer and F-15 pilot, the 33d Fighter Wing, 58th FS and the capabilities of the F-15C. "Many of the students had no idea about the different opportunities out there (in the Air Force)," said Lieutenant Conner. "We explained the steps to go through...to be an officer you need to go to college and get a degree." The visit to Choctawhatchee HS was the first time Lieutenant Conner had spoken to a group of students. Capt. Steven Cox and Capt. Michael Thompson, both 58th FS pilots spent Dec. 17 talking with JROTC students at Niceville HS.