Spouses groups combine forces at Vance Published Aug. 28, 2015 By Staff Sgt. Nancy Falcon 71st FTW Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Ice cream with toppings and play time for the children were the highlights of an Aug. 25 social at the Base Park to kick-off the newly combined Officer and Enlisted Spouses' Group. More than 100 people and their children attended the ice cream social and membership drive. "Three-fourths of the Air Force spouses' groups have already merged," said Meg Hewes, the president of the Officers' Spouses' Club. "We decided to merge because we can make a bigger impact together than separate." Currently, the Officers' Spouses' Club has 60 members and the Enlisted Spouses' Group has 40 members. During this social, 27 new members signed up to be a part of the combined group, which will be called the Vance Spouses' Club. "The more members we have, the more we can give back to Team Vance and the Enid community," said Jeremy Burden, the president of the Enlisted Spouses' Group. Every year, the spouses groups raise money for scholarships, donate to community organizations and directly serve the community. They also have monthly socials that include a themed activity and food. "We like to take care of each other," said Burden. "When our spouses are deployed, TDY or if families are going through hardships, they have us there to help provide some type of assistance such as babysitting services, meals or even an ear to talk to. "We make sure that the spouses at Vance are being taken care of and treated fairly," he said. The merger will become official in September. For more information, visit facebook.com/vancespousesclub.