Warren Spouses' Club: support network for families of F.E. Warren

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  The Warren Spouses' Club is a group on base dedicated almost solely to the spouses of the F.E. Warren Airmen. Any spouse is welcome, from officer to enlisted.

"The Warren Spouses' Club is a combined membership club and welcomes spouses of every branch of service, regardless if their spouse is active duty, retired, Guard, or Reserve," said Lauren Shields, WSC president. "The purpose of the club is to encourage fellowship and charity among our members at monthly socials and activities. As a non-profit organization, our other key purpose is giving back to the Cheyenne, F.E. Warren, and military communities."

The Warren Spouses' Club has two aspects - a fun side and a business side.

"The fun side is designed as our way of boosting morale as well as providing a support network for the spouses of F.E. Warren," said Tiffanie Newcomer, WSC first vice president. "Our other side is our donations and scholarships."

The fun side is responsible for arranging the monthly socials, she added. They host all sorts of activities - pool parties, arts and crafts bizarre, even a haunted scavenger hunt.

Newcomer plans and organizes the events the WSC hosts.

"My focus in planning the monthly socials is to utilize as much of the base as possible," Newcomer said. "I am trying to use the various facilities we have at our disposal. From the base pool to the Arts and Crafts Center, our base has so much to offer."

The October event was a haunted scavenger hunt that spanned much of the central portion of the base - from the house of the base commander to the security forces building to the base cemetery, participants visited many places.

"Based on the feedback from everyone who participated, our haunted scavenger hunt was amazing," Newcomer said. "The participants had an excellent time and from an operations standpoint, everything went perfectly. The 90th Security Forces Group put on a wonderful show with their ghost stories and facility tour. Many participants said they wanted to do it again, so I think it was a huge success."

The next event, an "afternoon tea at the Nagle-Warren Mansion" is planned for Nov. 16. The next major event is a military ball in January,2014.

"Several spouses have mentioned the desire to do a military Bbll here since perhaps there has not been an opportunity for one at previous assignments," Shields said. "Our club decided to do one! We will be hosting a military ball come January. A date will be set shortly; however, this will be a fun and formal event open to any military members and a guest.

The second aspect of the WSC is their donations and scholarship side. Erica Findley, second vice president, is in charge of our welfare contributions. According to Newcomer, scholarships are what the club prides themselves in.

"We raise money throughout the various events of the year," Newcomer said. "With the income from the events, we provide scholarships to the dependants of military members and give donations to various organizations throughout the community, both the Cheyenne community and the Air Force community as a whole."

The biggest fundraiser for the WSC is their annual basket auction.

"One of my most widely known fundraisers is the basket auction held in March," Shields said. "This auction solely raises funds for military dependent scholarships. Our auction is fun and includes a silent auction, live auction and dessert auction. Items include weekend getaways, spa packages and items put together by different squadrons. Last year, we were about to raise $12,000 to give to military dependents pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree."

For more information on the scholarships, contact the scholarship chairman at wscsscholarshipchair@gmail.com.

For the new spouses of F.E. Warren, the WSC is an open place that wants to help people get situated.

"Our Club is open to every military spouse and we want to get to know you! I remember two years ago moving to F.E. Warren, knowing nobody," Shields said. "I made that terrifying decision to go to a social by myself, hoping that I would make friends. Two years later, I still have those friends I made at the first social.

"As a Spouses' Club, we are here for the spouses. We want to provide them with opportunities to socialize and get to know other military spouses in the community. Our monthly socials are a great way to make friends and meet spouses who are in a similar situation as you are. Let us be that warm welcome for you!

"We have a huge group of spouses with different backgrounds who will welcome you with open arms. That first time attending a function by yourself may be completely out of your comfort zone, but the experiences and lasting friendships you will leave with will be so worth it."

For more information on the Warren Spouses' Club, visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/WarrenSpousesClub or their website at http://warrenspousesclub.org.