Young says, “Last year’s Bazaar raised $288,000 toward support activities for single Airmen, wounded warriors, deployed members returning from combat, as well as youth activities such as scouting, sports and academic clubs. Additionally, we partner with the Ramstein Enlisted Spouses’ Association and Kaiserslautern Landstuhl Spouses’ Association every spring to award scholarships to students and spouses pursuing higher education.”
To really understand the impact the event and the military spouses who run it has on the community, you need to see the numbers yourself. This past year (and every year) they make a difference in the lives of others.
In the 2013-2014, the ROSC gave away: $90,214 to the local DoDEA’s schools, $60,000 in scholarships to individuals, $56,340 to community organizations, $21,499 to national organizations, $29,000 supporting base programs, $17,964 supporting youth programs and $9,162 directly to scout programs. And that’s just one year.
The ROSC also has a special secret giving program that is offered every spring called Pay It Forward. Monica Alvidrez, 2nd Vice President, ROSC says it’s a program designed to say thank you.
“The mission of the ROSC Pay it Forward is to thank the community for their support through the year. By offering small tokens of appreciation such as Commissary gift cards, movie tickets and water bottles (just to name a few) is an easy way to brighten the day of so many. Seeing someone walk away with a smile on their face, a pep in their step, or even a sigh of relief brings a since of community and pride knowing that we are supporting our own in and around Ramstein AB and the KMCC area (local area).”
The Bazaar The Didn’t Happen
There has been only one year since 1965 that the Ramstein Welfare Bazaar was cancelled – September 2001.
Beth Osborne, President of the ROSC, 2001-02 recounts the moment that changed everything for the ROSC that year.
“As September arrived, the committee and ROSC members began regular bazaar preparations. Taking over the two hangers and that portion of the flight line – putting that famous “bazaar touch” on the hangers, setting up the business office, chalking the floors, placing the correct number of fest tables/benches in the proper vendor spaces, creating a welcoming hospitality room, having tents pitched for the additional vendor tent, AAFES tent, food vendors, port-a-potties and trash bins all in their places, volunteer sign-up ready, even the gate check-in area was finished. It was all complete. We closed-up the hangers Tuesday afternoon September 11 ready for vendors to arrive the following morning for vendor check-in and set-up.
Many of us headed to the Intermediate School for Open House on base. I was standing in the Intermediate School auditorium on the phone with my oldest son who was checking in to let me know he was home when the second plane hit. I think every beeper and cell phone went off instantly. I will never forget the sounds and response of our spouses and all military members rushing back to work. That moment is when the 2001 Bazaar ceased to exist. It seems strange now to think there was ever a moment that we didn’t immediately recognize this outcome. Maybe we did. But after you give so much of yourself to something so important to community and our tradition, it is certainly difficult to let it go.”
