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Show HILLTOP TIMES TIMES October 16, 2008 Team Hill challenged to provide hope in CFC Campaign "Hope Wanted." Atkinson provided instances of seeing Hilltop Times editor total abject hopelessness. She went on to provide ample evidence that when these he Combined Federal circumstances were identified, many such Campaign keynote situations turned around due to the efspeaker, Pamela Atkinforts of others. son, believes we all have differAtkinson portrayed those instances ent roles in life, but if we work of "hope wanted" as finally hope fulfilled together as a team it's amazing despite significant challenges. what can be accomplished. One small boy reported that he had In her experiences in workmade his mother cry when he brought ing with the homeless and at city home new underclothing in her size. schools where the populations School volunteers had bestowed them at came to school with severe sociohis request at an event where they were economic disadvantages, she has ALEX R. LLOYD/U.S. Air Force providing new underclothing for the chilseen the efforts of a few expand to Pamela Atkinson addresses those assembled atdren who needed them. touch the lives of thousands. the Combined Federal Campaign lunch Oct. 9. "But they were happy tears," he wantThe workers at Hill Air Force ed the school clinic workers to know. Base are being given the opporAtkinson and a few others had originateffort that distributed food to a local comtunity to donate to the CFC designated ed that clinic in response to a need they munity pantry. charity of their choice. Atkinson, as a could see at the Salt Lake City school. But "Picture a mother and her two small highly motivated giver, reminded those those few did not do it alone. "The idea children sitting down to a meal of the in attendance at the Oct. 9 luncheon that was enhanced a thousand times over," she soup and perhaps a loaf of bread supplied despite the tendancy to think in terms of said, by the twelve individuals who beby someone else," she recalled telling the large projects, "We can do small projects came a significant part of propelling the woman in her efforts to recruit her. Now, and make a difference as well." idea forward and who contributed their she said, picture this over a period of In her travels, Atkinson met an older time and efforts to making it a reality. more than a decade. The woman's efforts woman who said there was nothing she of many more added up to touch the lives In a sense, that is what the CFC camcould do to help others in less fortunate than she could have originally imagined. paign gives others the chance to do: circumstances. At Atkinson's request she "And she is still donating," Atkinson reCombine efforts through all of Team Hill purchased an extra can of soup every ports. workers' individual donations. time she went shopping and left it on her Maj. Gen. Kathleen Close, Ogden Air porch in conjunction with an organized The theme of the campaign this year is BY MARY LOU GORNY T Landscaping goes back to its roots Logistics Center commander, spoke at the luncheon following Atkinson's remarks. "We thank you for challenging us," she said. "We need to ask ourselves more often 'Did I help someone?'" Close said as she repeated another of Atkinson's main themes. The campaign deadline is Dec. 15. For more information, contact your unit CFC representative. MOTHER From page 4 20 years of service, or who die after being awarded certain specific military honors. "People don't understand what you have to give to get in there," Dutcher said. "The requirements are tough. They are heroes. The people buried at Arlington went above and beyond to help someone else. They gave of themselves for the safety of others." On one trip to Arlington, Dutcher met a stranger who seemed to understand. "She was a lady from Germany who spoke very little English, but we managed to communicate. She e-mailed me later, from Germany, and expressed her thankfulness for what Michael had done, and for what all the soldiers had done. "I can't say for sure if I were in Germany that I would think to go visit one of their national cemeteries. I'm not sure if most people really understand the profound nature of the sacrifice these men and women have made. "I thought it was kind of neat." BY LEE ANNE HENSLEY Hilltop Times staff T he 75th Air Base Wing and workers in Building 555 held a ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 9 to unveil a new environmentally friendly landscape makeover. The xeriscaping project replaced one acre of grass that once landscaped the exterior of Building 555 in order to prevent water leakage to a nearby environmental cleanup cap and to display the beauty of water-conservation-^ > minded landscaping. The word "xeriscape" combines' \ \ the Greek word xeros ("dry") with the word "landscape" and is a registered trademark of Denver Water, the city of Denver, Colo., water department. Xeriscaping uses plants tailored to the native climate of a region, coupled with other water-saving design ideas. Utah's natural environment is a mix of desert and mountain forest landscapes, and 90 percent of the plants used to landscape Building 555 are native to Utah. "When Civil Engineering approached me about this project I was very excited about it because, since I've been here, even as a vice commander, I've been harping about what a precious resource water is and that Utah really is a desert," Col. Linda Medler, 75th Air Base Wing commander, said during the ceremony. "We love greenery but it takes a lot of resources to keep things green." More than 50 percent of residential water use is applied to landscape and lawns in the western U.S., the Colorado WaterWise Council says. Getting rid of normative landscaping, which requires unnatural amounts of water, and replacing them with drought-resistant foliage can save thousands of gallons of water per year as well as money. "Each of the plants that have been placed in this area requires 90 percent less water than traditional grass," said Col. Harry Briesmaster, 75th Civil Engineer Group commander, at the ceremony. "In fact, once they are mature it is possible that the plants may not need any watering at all, except in the hottest and driest parts of summer." The National Wildlife Federation says the average suburban lawn takes in 10 times the pesticides and herbicides as an acre of farmland. Brandon Chard, the environmental engineer with Select Engineering Services, said that the xeriscaping installed at Building 555 will not require weed maintenance for another year. When it comes time to apply herbicide to the area, the herbicide used will be less toxic and a weaker Capt. Roberto Flammia, 421st Fighter Squadron, talks to Danielle Bird, of Bridgerland Literacy, a CFC charitable organization, prior to the lunch. Col. Harry Briesmaster, 75th Civil Engineer Group commander, stands by as Col. Linda Medler, 75th Air Base Wing commander, and Troy Tingey, Air Force Government Employees Local 1592 union president, cut the ribbon at the Xeriscaping Project ceremony. From the Command Chief... 'The intention of this comer is to share important information relating to standards* discipline, and the development of American Airmen. I hope you find this useful." ALEX R. LLOYD/U.S. Air Force strength than traditional lawn herbicide. In this particular case, the excess water required to keep the lawns alive in front of Building 555 was not only a waste of water and financial resources, but it also posed a threat to a nearby area that once had been a retention pond containing chemicals. In 1998, a parking lot was installed over the retention pond to sterve as an impermeable cleanup cap that would prevent water from being absorbed and preventing the pushing of the contaminates toward the water table. The cap and a series of eight groundwater extraction wells, located along the base boundary parallel to Utah Highway 193, were installed as part of an agreement between the Air Force and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to Barbara Fisher, 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Environmental Affairs manager. landscape than normative grass. "The designer, Franci Delong from Xeriscape Design in Salt Lake City, made sure to choose plants that would produce a nice color during every season," said Chard. "I wanted to find a way to use less water and show how things can still look great, and I am thrilled with the way this project has turned out," said Medler. Medler promised that more xeriscaping projects will be implemented in different areas of the base within the next few years. "I will find other places on this installation to do this xeriscaping because it's the environmentally-conscious thing to do and it shows how Hill continues to lead the way when it comes to conserving our precious resources for our children and our children's children," she said. Cardinal Maintenance, the company which provides ground maintenance for Hill Air Force Base, Another goal of the xeriscape installed the landscaping and Select project was to show how using native Engineering Services provided engiplants could add more beauty to a neering management for the project. "Airman Development — Serving as a first sergeant is demanding, but there are very few ways in which to better develop your leadership skills for future senior enlisted responsibilities. Based on the cumulative and important responsibilities of the first sergeant, and the impact of this position on units and personnel, only the most dedicated, professional senior NCOs should apply and be selected for this special duty. If you wish to apply, see your Command Chief." |