Sheppard opens doors for annual arts and crafts fair

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tonnette Thompson
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  If one walked into Hangar 10 this past weekend, instead of finding the usual aircraft maintenance equipment and scattered Airmen, they would have encountered a booth offering funnel cakes, roasted nuts and 'sausage on a stick.'

Further down, the opportunity to purchase oil paintings, stuffed gingerbread man dolls and personally embroidered baby bibs awaited. Around and between all of these booths swarmed a virtual sea of people, hundreds of civilian-dressed shoppers of all ages. And in one far corner, a small group of women wearing matching blue smocks - and expressions of quiet satisfaction - oversaw the entire spectacle.

The women were members of the Sheppard Officers' Spouses Club, and the club hosted the annual Hangar Holiday Saturday in Bldg. 1045.

The event opened the base up to vendors and their customers throughout Wichita Falls. The hangar was lined with booths offering everything from magnetic jewelry to designer sunglasses, stuffed puppets, Christian T-shirts and scented oils and candles.
"It's something to see the hangar go from that blank floor to all this life," said Elizabeth Devereaux, a member of the Spouses' Club.

The proceeds from the event, in the form of the flat fees the Spouses' Club charged the vendors for their booths, will go toward the club's support of various welfare and scholarship programs. The vendors kept all money earned from their wares.

"The money supports programs both on and off base," Mrs. Devereaux said. "And the scholarships are for dependent spouses and children."

The Spouses' Club has hosted Hangar Holiday for 20 years. This year's event attracted approximately 230 vendors, and opened its doors to more than 5,000 customers.

"It was very crowded," said Airman Deanna LeClaire from the 383rd Training Squadron, a volunteer worker for the event. "It was good. I got to meet a lot of new people and buy some Christmas gifts for my kids."

The Spouses' Club had volunteer support from Airmen-in-Training, the 82nd Security Forces and 82nd Civil Engineer squadrons, and the 363rd Training Squadron. Casey Gallegos, chairman of the Spouses' Club committee, detailed their contributions.

"The 363rd helped a lot with clearing out and maintaining the hangar for this. The student Airmen are helping us a lot with manning the doors, greeting the customers, running errands and especially cleaning; we're really going to need them when this is over. Security Forces helped with traffic control and parking. Really, we couldn't have done this without them," she said.

Laura Schochler is one of the vendors who's glad she participated.

"I've already made my booth rent and then some," Ms. Schochler said, referring to just their first day of business.

"This is my first time here as a vendor, and I sold a lot of my stuff yesterday," she said, gesturing to her jewelry sculptures of Christmas trees. "Maybe I won't have to take any of it home."