Sheppard exceeds Air Force Assistance Fund campaign goal Published April 8, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Valerie Hosea 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Sheppard raised more than $129,000, which was more than 130 percent of the goal set for the base Air Force Assistance Fund campaign. The six-week campaign was established to provide for an annual effort to raise funds for the charitable affiliates that provide support to the Air Force family in need including: active duty, retirees, reservists, guard and their dependents, and surviving spouses. The AFAF is a fund drive for four organizations such as: the Air Force Village Foundation, Inc., the Air Force Aid Society, Inc., the General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation and the Air Force Enlisted Village, Inc. These organizations help Air Force people with aid in an emergency, with educational needs, or to have a secure retirement home for widows or widowers of Air Force members in need of financial assistance. "The beauty of the AFAF is that it's Airmen that are donating to the campaign," said Capt. Karen Jackson, an AFAF representative from the 383rd Training Squadron. "It's Airmen helping Airmen." Sheppard Airmen participated in various fund raisers for this annual campaign. Bake sales, pizza sales and other events were held as fund raisers. "There was a military training leader dunk tank where Airmen could pay a certain amount of money to dunk an MTL of their choice into a pool of water. That was a lot of fun," she said. At Sheppard, more than 1,500 people contributed to this cause, said Capt. Darren Hill, an AFAF representative from the 982nd Training Group.