Community charity helps airmen travel home

Thomas Riches has served in the Air Force for three years and has been at Cannon Air Force Base for two, so visits with family are few and far between.

That's why Riches was grateful that community members put their money and efforts together through Angel Arms, a local non-profit, to send him home to central New Jersey last Christmas.

"It was a great experience," Riches said. "I think the partnership between the community and the base was really good."

Thomas Riches: Courtesy photo

Cannon Air Force Base Airman Thomas Riches, second to left, flew home last year to spend Christmas with his family in central New Jersey. His trip was funded by the kindness of community members who raised money to send him home.

Angel Arms was established last November to help young airmen, who otherwise can't afford to do so, fly home for the holidays to be with their families.

Organizer Esther Steinle said she got the idea from a Karen Kingsbury book.

"Someone said they were involved in raising money to send military men and women home," Steinle said. "I thought, 'that's a neat idea, we have a military base in our hometown.'"

Steinle said she and others pitched in enough money to send Riches home. Riches said he was selected based on his need by his supervisor.

"It was a blessing to meet him," Steinle said.

She admits she thought sending an airman home would be a one-time thing but after the response she received from the community, she took interest in doing it again.

"We partnered with Matt 25 and established a non-profit status," Steinle said. "I didn't have a goal (amount) because I didn't know what kind of response I'd get. Let's see where God leads this program."

Steinle said she has established a good relationship with Cannon officials who work to find airmen to send home this Christmas. The program is specific to Cannon.

"My main goal was to send home airmen who can't afford it and neither can their parents," Steinle said. "Right now we're at over $6,000, so we doubled my original goal."

She added that at an average of $500 a plane ticket, she predicts the money they raise can send home around 12 airmen.

Great Lakes Airlines has also donated two round-trip tickets from Clovis to Denver, according to Steinle.

"I'm retired from the Clovis public school system and I've lived in Clovis all my life," she said. "I guess because I have lived in the community for so long, I have always appreciated Cannon. I just know the sacrifices they make every day for our country. I want to show them they're appreciated for all they do and their families sacrifice a lot."

Riches returns Steinle's sentiments.

"It meant a lot that someone from the community would reach out to fly me home," he said. "They understand what we go through. It was really nice to see my friends and family and spend time with them."