'Airmen for Children' expands to Beale

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Chuck Broadway
  • 9th RW Public Affairs
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  For more than two years now, Staff Sgt. Jewell Hicks, 13th Intelligence Squadron imagery analyst, has been fulfilling a boyhood promise to a disease-stricken friend through his Airmen for Children program.

This program is a volunteer activity where uniformed military members and civilians visit local children's hospitals to interact with kids who are suffering from a multitude of diseases.

Sergeant Hicks started the program at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and it has spread to several other bases within the Air Force. His goal is for the program to go nationwide, and Beale is his next step.

The objective of Airmen for Children differs from that of many volunteer organizations. Some of those groups go in and mentor children through whatever pain and hardships they are encountering and help them through it. Sergeant Hicks said his program is the opposite.

"Our mission is to simply take their minds off of whatever illnesses they may be experiencing and brighten their day," he said. "If we can do that, we're making a difference."

In the local area, Airmen for Children volunteers will be visiting the Shriners Children's Hospital, UC Davis hospital and the Ronald McDonald House, all in Sacramento. Eventually, they will also visit local schools and other children's homes.

When visiting the children, the group plays games, decorates crafts or cookies, holds ice cream socials and does anything else the kids want to do while they are there. Once the apprehension of the first visit is over, Sergeant Hicks said the kids look forward to their visits, and it's the highlight of their day.

"These kids are confined to their rooms all day, and some have never seen someone in uniform before," he said. "Once they're used to us, it's fun times, and we're kind of known as their 'GI Joes' when we go there."

Sergeant Hicks also said anyone who volunteers with the program receives a great sense of accomplishment, and he has never had a person walk out of the hospitals that hasn't told him it wasn't one of the best experiences they've ever had.

"It's a rewarding and humbling experience," Sergeant Hicks said. "I know my friend is looking down and he'd be proud of what I've done."

In addition to the visiting hospitals, Sergeant Hicks has several future toy and back-to-school drives planned for Airmen for Children.
 
Anyone interested in volunteering for the program can e-mail Sergeant Hicks directly at AirmenforChildren@gmail.com.