Fall Fest 2007 brings family fun to Vance

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mary Davis
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  More than 800 Team Vance members high-tailed it to Fall Fest 2007 to partake of the food, frolic and family fun Oct. 4 at the youth center grounds.

"We focused on a western theme to celebrate the Oklahoma centennial," said Brittany Summers, 71st Mission Support Squadron Services Marketing. "This year's event featured a pie-eating contest, build-your-own-covered wagon races, a costume contest and more."

The event, sponsored by Services and Computer Sciences Corporation, also included centennial-themed FitFactor games for children, a canine demonstration by the 71st Security Forces Squadron, an information fair and best of all - free barbecue.

"This year's event was great," said Staff Sgt. Michael Baxter, 71st Mission Support Squadron. "It is always very family-oriented with a lot of fun games for the kids."

Sergeant Baxter attended with his wife, Staff Sgt. Alisha Baxter, 71st Medical Group, and their children Britney, 9, and Myah, 10 months. The Baxters, who have been stationed at Vance Air Force Base for more than four years, made attending Fall Fest a family tradition.

"We look forward to going to Fall Fest every year," Alisha Baxter said. "We always have a good time."

Although some event-goers frequent the celebration every year, there were a few who attended Fall Fest for the first time.

"We liked the playground area with the games. The background music gave it a Disneyland feel," said Tech. Sgt. Akiem Jenkins, 71st Logistics Readiness Squadron, who attended with his wife, Tech. Sgt. Michelle Jenkins, 71st Communications Squadron, and their children Marquis, 10, and Thairish, 7. "I also liked the free food and the funnel cakes were great!"

Although Marquis said the best part of the fest was competing in the pie-eating contest, "I didn't like eating lemon-meringue pie," he said. "But I still had fun."

Michelle Jenkins said she liked the information fair best of all.

"There were a lot of off-base agencies providing information about their services," she said. "I especially liked hearing about the orthodontic services offered downtown."

More than 60 Team Vance volunteers provided their "git-up and go" to help the annual shin dig run without a hitch.

"We would like to thank our volunteers who helped with this year's event," Ms. Summers said. "They did a terrific job and made it a great experience for our guests."