Help Those Who Serve at Selfridge

Two local organizations have come together to help the community assist families of men and women serving at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

Selfridge Family Assist and the Lac Ste Clair Kiwanis have organized an Adopt-A-Family program for the families of National Guard and Reservists at Selfridge who may be experiencing financial hardships.

"Some are multiple deployments, some are on deployment now and some financial hardships is a combination of all those," said Deborah Schroeder, Selfridge Family Readiness Center director. "It's not just around Christmas time. Our members are citizens soldiers and they are struggling because of the economy."

Last year there were 85 families who participated in the program. This year there are 64 families, with more than a dozen who still need to be adopted.

Donors who contact Selfridge Family Support will be paired with a family at the base. Each family has created a wish list which can include specific items, monetary donations or gift cards.

Helping recruit donors for the family during the holidays, and throughout the year, has been members of the Lac Ste Claire Kiwanis.

Past-president Bryan Mazey has been to inform people about the needs of the men and women in the armed forces who serve at Selfridge, and deployed around the world.

"They have their share of problems out there at the National Guard base," said Mazey.

The Kiwanis also established the Team Selfridge Military Family Assistance in 2006 which help military families in need at Selfridge.

This spirit of philanthropy is close to Schroeder. Her husband is currently serving in Afghanistan.

"I am very busy," she said. "No time to dwell."

To adopt a family, call Schroeder 586-239-5583.