Volunteering, friendships form strong base for spouses club

  • Published
  • By Deborah Silliman Wolfe
  • Thunderbolt staff writer
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Over the past decade, the women of the Luke Officer's Spouses Club have been gathering to socialize, volunteer and greet new spouses to Luke Air Force Base. 

Around 30 LOSC members gathered March 17 at the Desert Star Club for the group's monthly meeting. 

"The club has changed over the years," said Edith Sparrow, who has been involved with the club since 1970 when it was called the Officer's Wive's Club. "When I first joined, a luncheon like this would have had 80 to 100 attendees." 

Mrs. Sparrow told of the days when club members would participate in receiving lines to greet new commanders and their wives to base. 

"In the beginning, you always had to wear gloves at the receiving line," Mrs. Sparrow said. "There was one time, after we had quit the glove situation, when we had a general's wife who was a little bit prissy, come to base. She decided she wanted the receiving line members wearing gloves. I had gotten wind that she wanted gloves, so I and a few of the ladies brought them. As soon as we went through the line, and we passed the gloves back through the line for gloveless members to wear." 

In the 1970s, the club as a whole met twice a month for a coffee and luncheon, which was eaten with the club's fine silver. Throughout the years, coffee get togethers have been cut out, and lunch is now served on china plates. But the camaraderie, volunteerism and club fun groups, like bunko, bowling, and the gourmet club, are still going strong. 

"This is a great activity for wives who are brand new to the Air Force," said Debbie Kamps, former LOSC president and current member. "I got involved for the friendships, to learn more about the base and the community and volunteer opportunities. When my husband first got in the Air Force, I went to a couple of OSC meetings and thought 'this really isn't for me.' But then after a while, you go and realize, 'this is fun!'" 

From all appearance, the women had a great time at the Spring Tea Party luncheon, where Easter baskets were raffled off, games were played and door prizes awarded. To an outsider looking in, this looks like a typical group of ladies who lunch, but there is substance intertwined with the gaieties. Easter baskets were raffled off, and the money the members paid for a chance to win is put into the LOSC welfare fund. The money in the fund is given to base organizations in need, spouses in need of scholarships and to help out community organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House. 

The LOSC members not only donate money, they also donate time. One of the most popular holiday events for Airmen on base is the holiday cookie drive. The LOSC heads the event, which provides a taste of the holidays to all Airmen living in the dorms by collecting and baking tens of thousands of homemade cookies. 

"Those that come to the meetings have a good time," Mrs. Kamps said. "And those that don't come -- they don't know what they're missing." 

The LOSC is having a Scholarship Awards Night 6 p.m. May 12 at the Desert Star Club where members will give away $7,500 in scholarships to military dependents and spouses. All Luke members are welcome to attend and enjoy hors d'oevours and see what the club does and where the money they raise goes. 

For spouses interested in joining the club, e-mail Liz Plauman, membership chair, at eplaumann@cox.net.