Fairchild squadron helps feed Inland Northwest families

As its Latin maxim, "unus cohors multum missionis," states, Fairchild Air Force Base's 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron is one unit with many missions.

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown awarded the squadron the Neal Fosseen Award during a 92nd Air Refueling Wing ceremony Friday at Fairchild Air Force Base.

The squadron earned recognition for efforts in feeding, supporting and organizing events for North Idaho and Spokane.

“This year’s Neal Fosseen Award winner is a group that dedicated hours to ensure people and families across the region were fed,” Brown said in a Monday news release. “They not only did food drives to collect donations, but volunteered their time to distribute over 11,000 pounds of food to more than 300 families.”

Support provided to North Idaho families by the 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron included two food drives in partnership with Second Harvest, a nonprofit that combats food insecurity in the Inland Northwest. Squadron members collected food and brought it to Second Harvest, which distributed those donations.

Squadron members recorded over 2,000 volunteer hours affecting 42 organizations and enhanced the quality of life for 230,000 Spokane residents.

Second Harvest works with food banks and churches throughout North Idaho, including Post Falls Food Bank, Real Life Ministries Food Bank, Community Action Partnership Coeur d'Alene Food Bank, Lake City Market, Seventh-day Adventist — Coeur d'Alene Food Bank, Canvas Community Outreach, the Altar Food Bank and more, as listed on 2-harvest.org.

The Neal Fosseen Award recognizes military units for community service. Fosseen was a lieutenant colonel in the Marines during World War II. He also served as mayor of Spokane for seven years and was a consistent supporter of locally based military personnel.