Salvation Army bestows prestigious award on Team Dover

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Steve Marciniak
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AFB, Del. --  The good works carried out by Team Dover members was recently recognized when the Salvation Army presented its highest group-level award to the people of the base. 

Col. William Carlson, Salvation Army divisional commander from Philadelphia, and Captains Tim and Migdalia Lavenbein, who lead the Dover Corps Community Center, presented the award to Col. Steven Harrison and Col. Randal Bright, commanders of the 436th and 512th Airlift Wings, respectively, June 4 at the base. 

The base was selected to receive the award due to its continuing support for the Salvation Army's outreach programs, according to Captain Migdalia Lavenbein, but specifically for efforts to ensure the Christmas programs and services could continue in December. 

"We were faced with needing to raise $7,000 going into the last weekend before Christmas so that we could provide to the community, and didn't have enough volunteers to work all of our donation kettles around town," she said. "With one call to (Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Holton, a 436th Mission Support Squadron NCO who coordinates volunteers for the Salvation Army), all of the kettles were manned, and we ended up raising more than $9,000 on the final Saturday alone." 

That one call resulted in 168 volunteers coming out from the base, a number that the Lavenbeins did not expect. 

"It was absolutely astounding," said Capt. Tim Lavenbein. "But we have almost come to expect that kind of support from the base. Whenever we ask for help, that kind of overwhelming response is typical." 

The giving spirit within Team Dover didn't end with the Red Kettle Drive, though, as base volunteers also pitched in with counting the donations and assisting with organizing the center's toy and food drive, which ended up assisting more than 500 community members during the holiday season. 

"Parents want to be able to make Christmas special for their children and to have a Christmas dinner, and many aren't able to do that without our assistance," Capt. Migdalia Lavenbein said. "Thanks to the outpouring of support from the base, we were able to make that a reality for all these families." 

Fortunately, Sergeant Holton had a network standing by to spring into action in order to get the volunteers needed. The network included the support of the Junior NCO Association, the Top 3 Association and additional assistance from the base's first sergeants, who sought out volunteers from their respective units. 

"Without those avenues, I would not have been able to reach out and get all the volunteers that I did," Sergeant Holton said. "I know they were sick of my 'friendly reminders,' but they didn't complain." 

She explained that her own experiences motivate her to support community agencies such as the Salvation Army whenever she can. 

"As a child of a divorced mother and having to use agencies such as the Salvation Army, it was great to be able to actually give back to those that helped my family growing up. My mother always taught me that you never know when you need help, that if you don't give back (and for the right reasons), then the day you might need it, no one will be around," Sergeant Holton said. 

That kind of dedication is why the Salvation Army sought out securing the award for the base, Capt. Migdalia Lavenbein said. 

"This award is just a small token of our appreciation for everything that the men and women at Dover Air Force Base have done in the past and continue to do for us," she said. "I wish there was more we could do in order to show just what it means to us and the community."