For over 60 years, Columbus Air Force Base has been giving back to Lowndes County through the Happy Irby Christmas Fund.
The fund, named after George “Happy” Irby Sr., held its annual shop and wrap event this past week. Irby, a longtime base employee, died in March 2009.
Irby, his late wife Sarah and Missionary Union Baptist Church started the Happy Christmas Fund in the 1950s, when Irby, working at Columbus AFB Officers’ Club, would collect his daily tips he earned as a waiter. At Christmas time, Irby gathered his tips to purchase clothing and school supplies for disadvantaged children in the Columbus area.
Over the years, this idea blossomed into The Happy Irby Fund. Today, the fund is a private organization that has benefited thousands of adults and children.
On Wednesday, volunteers shopped for 240 children based on forms given to them by the school districts. In 2018, the fund spent about $13,000 on 300 children, according to a previous article.
Brenda Dale, who works in the budget office, has volunteered with the program for about 30 years, since she started working at the base.
She was among the volunteers who also shopped for the children. She described the process.
“You go shopping the day before and you get these little sheets,” Dale said. “Each one of the sheets has information about the child and the school, and then you put the items in the bag and you tie it up. The next day, we untie the bag, take the items out, put everything in a box and put the sheet on top.”
After putting items into a box, she passed the box to Vannessa Brown, who wrapped the boxes with pre-cut wrapping paper. Brown works in the base’s public relations department.
Dale noted that Thursday’s 40 or so volunteers, which ranged from active duty, base employees and military spouses and supporters, took about an hour and a half to wrap all the gifts. They were collected into bigger boxes and delivered to the local schools later in the day.
Maggie Ottenwess, wife of operations superintendent Christopher Ottenwess, wrapped boxes Thursday. It was her family’s first time participating in the event. Her son acted as a runner, gathering wrapping paper, boxes and other supplies for his mother’s wrapping tables.
“I think it’s a great way to give back to the community,” Ottenwess said. “I didn’t realize that people were going out, buying all these things. They have to do tons of organizing to do it, and it’s a seamless process.”
Dale said that her favorite part of the gift-wrapping project is helping the children. She also likes seeing people.
“Especially now with COVID and all the changes in the world, I like being able to get out and see people again,” Dale said.
Ottenwess noted that besides giving back, she connected with other military spouses at the event. Ottenwess was proud of how the activity brought both active duty and civilians together.
“It’s great seeing active duty and civilians come together for something that doesn’t benefit our population necessarily,” she said. “You know what a great thing about Columbus Air Force Base compared to maybe some of the other basins we’ve been at is that the community cares about the military. That’s evident in the things that they attend to things that we get invited to, the donations they made.
“Our reciprocation is evident in things like this,” she said.
Columbus Municipal Schools Superintendent Cherie Labat said that beside the annual Christmas gifts for students, the Air Force base provides resources and support year-round.
“Their unwavering excellence, commitment to the community and value of education has served as a strong and mutual relationship that continues to pay dividends in the Columbus community,” she said. “Our commitment to college, career and enlistment preparation serves as part of our continued support of what the CAFB offers the community and district. We are grateful to partner with the Columbus Air Force Base as we look forward to the future.”
Besides the Christmas Fund, the base hosts other activities such as a leadership series at Columbus High School, reading mentors, information internships and more.
“We support the base with their events as well. We try to do as much as possible with buses and transportation needed for air shows and will continue to do so,” Labat said. “We will continue to try and reciprocate the great things CAFB is adding to our district.”
While Ottenwess said she did not know Happy Irby personally, the continuation of his philanthropy benefits both those people at the base and those in the community.
“When you can have that relationship where you care about each other, not because I get something out of it, but because it comes from a heart, it makes it easier to be away from family and loved ones while we’re in the military,” she said.
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