25th Annual Feast of Sharing

Senior Airman Leslie Ybarra, 433 Aerospace Medicine, Squadron, medical technician carries a tray of plates to guests at the H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing on Dec. 23, 2017, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Ybarra was among 40 Alamo Wing members, friends and family, who helped the afternoon shift of volunteers serve up dinners at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño)

25th Annual Feast of Sharing

The Citizen Airmen of the 433rd Airlift Wing pose for a photo with Santa Claus after serving meals at H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing on Dec. 23, 2017 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The event has become an annual event for the wing’s Citizen Airmen who want to give back to the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño)

25th Annual Feast of Sharing

Senior Airman Ilissa Casias, a medical technician with the 433rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron, holds up a sign calling for food for a guest at H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing on Dec. 23, 2017, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Casias, followed by her sister Vanessa behind her, was among 40 Alamo Wing members, friends and family, who helped the afternoon shift of serve up a traditional holiday plate at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño)

25th Annual Feast of Sharing

Master Sgt. Samantha Barker(left) 433rd Airlift Wing superintendent, command and control, and Staff Sgt. Jason Cumpian (with tray), 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, medical technician, look for hungry guests at H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing on Dec. 23, 2017, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Barker and Cumpian were among 40 Alamo Wing members, friends and family, who helped the afternoon shift serve up a holiday plate at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño)

25th Annual Feast of Sharing

Chief Master Sgt. Ernesto Flores (center) 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, was among the 1,000 volunteers who served a free holiday meal to anyone at H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing. Flores was among twenty members from the medical group who served the annual holiday meal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño)

25th Annual Feast of Sharing

Senior Airman Ilissa Casias, a medical technician with the 433rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron, serves apple pie to a guest at H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing on Dec. 23, 2017, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Casias was among 40, 433rd AW members, friends and family, who helped the afternoon shift of volunteers serve up a holiday plate at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño)

25th Annual Feast of Sharing

Staff. Sergeants Roberta Kidder(left), 733rd Training Squadron and Amy Dennis, 433rd Contingency Response Flight, preparing for the H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing on Dec. 23, 2017. Kidder and Dennis were among 40, 433rd AW members, with their friends and family, along with other volunteers serving up traditional holiday dinners at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño)

Citizen Airmen continue annual holiday tradition; feeding Alamo City families

Published Dec. 27, 2017
By Tech Sgt. Carlos J. Treviño
433rd Airlift Wing

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – --

Citizen Airmen from the 433rd Airlift Wing joined forces with 1,000 other volunteers from the Greater San Antonio Area in serving more than 7,500 meals during the afternoon shift at H-E-B’s 25th Annual Feast of Sharing holiday dinner on Dec. 23, 2017, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.

The group of 40 Citizen Airmen from the Alamo Wing along with family members and friends served food and drinks, cleaned tables, and provided fellowship to the assembled guests, who came from all over Texas to share the dinner.

The H-E-B's Annual Feast of Sharing holiday dinner began in Laredo, Texas in 1989 to fight hunger. Today, it takes place in several cities throughout the state of Texas and Mexico, where the privately owned company with over 390 stores, serves a holiday meal of turkey with stuffing and gravy, along with mashed potatoes to more than 250,000 people in 33 cities, just before Christmas.

“Our military members are important to us whether they are guests for the dinner or volunteering with us,” said Lacey Kotzur, a volunteer coordinator with the Feast of Sharing. “Their knowledge and know-how, along with their spirit of giving is a perfect fit. We are excited to see our military service members, come out and volunteer or be guests here at our dinner.”

The Alamo Wing volunteers, composed of friends, family and military members, had a variety of people from all walks of life serving. Some like Senior Airman Ilissa Casias, a medical technician with the 433rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron, has two reasons for giving up a Saturday afternoon and serving.

“It’s important to give back to the community,” she said. “It’s also important for my sister to come, because I want her to appreciate that there are people out there, who are less fortunate than us, and we want them to feel like they are appreciated.”

“It is important to show their support for the community,” Chief Master Sgt. Ernesto Flores with the 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron said. “It is especially important to give back to the community during the holiday season because they give us (the military) a lot of support,” Flores said.