SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras –
Airmen from the 612th Air Base Squadron here welcomed local children from the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Children's Home in nearby Comayagua to the base for the Annual Kid's Day celebration Sept. 22.
Approximately 90 children were treated to various games, piñatas, swimming in the base pool and a hotdog lunch served up by various members of the United States Air Force.
Senior Airman Wyatt Eastman, Kid's Day project coordinator, said the event was designed to benefit the children and help foster good international relationships between Honduras and the United States military.
"The kids are having a great time," Airman Eastman said halfway through the day's planned festivities. "This was definitely worth the effort."
Tech. Sgt. Scott Thomas, J-3, said the best part of volunteering to help with Kids Day was seeing the smiles on the children's faces as they played, ate and enjoyed every aspect of the day that had been planned for them.
Sergeant Thomas said he especially enjoyed knowing the kids were doing something they don't normally get to do, and that Joint Task Force-Bravo was giving back to the community.
"They don't get to go swimming and eat hotdogs every day," he said, smiling as he watched a group of Airmen play soccer with the kids.
For about six hours, the children were able to let loose, engaging in water-balloon fights with American military members, potato sack and three-legged races, games of "Steal the Bacon" and piñata smashing.
Toward the end of the day, rain clouds crept over the mountains but held back long enough for the festivities to end on-time as planned. The hoard of children left base with full stomachs, pockets stuffed with candy, school supplies and other useful items, and enormous smiles.
The 612th ABS is composed of more than 250 U.S. Air Force personnel. These Airmen visit the orphanage twice a month, providing support to approximately 105 children and single mothers who live at the home. The 612th ABS has been supporting the orphanage for more than eight years, and provides them with a variety of supplies such as clothes, school items, and toiletries. They also make repairs to the orphanage facility, such as painting, laying carpet, and installing lights.