Lighting up the Holidays

By Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf, 17th Training Wing Public Affairs / Published December 09, 2019

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Col. Andres Nazario, 17th Training Wing commander, poses with participants in the Jingle Bell 5K held on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. Members were able to participate in the run before the rest of the events at the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

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Santa talks with children after arriving to the parade field for the Tree Lighting ceremony on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. Children were able to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas and have their picture taken before the tree lighting. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

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Children sing carols during the Tree Lighting ceremony at the parade field on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. There were also several dances performed by other children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

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Col. Andres Nazario, 17th Training Wing commander, announces the winner of the Christmas card contest with the help of children attending the Tree Lighting ceremony on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. The Christmas Cards contest builds camaraderie and connectedness within the squadrons, the 312th Training Squadron took 1st place this year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

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Students on Goodfellow take a photo with Santa during the Tree Lighting event on the parade field at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. After visiting with Santa, individuals were able to drink hot chocolate, hot apple cider and decorate ornaments and cookies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

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Individuals dressed as Anna and Elsa were available for pictures at the Tree Lighting event on the parade field at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. Santa also arrived to the parade field allowing attendees to tell him what they wanted for Christmas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

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Children decorate cookies at the Tree Lighting event on the parade field at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. Attendees could decorate cookies to take home or eat at the event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

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Airman 1st Class Allissa Castro, Airman 1st Class Mitchell Dieudonne and Airman Autumn Ross, 315th Training Squadron students, pose for a picture at the Jingle Bell 5K before the Tree Lighting ceremony on the parade field at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Dec. 6, 2019. Participants in the run were given festive headbands and encouraged to dress up to show their morale. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf)

GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --

Goodfellow Air Force Base held its annual Christmas Tree Lighting event on the parade field here, Dec. 6.

The event kicked off with a Jingle Bell 5K after which individuals could visit different tables to decorate cookies, ornaments, drink hot chocolate or apple cider and visit with various winter icons. With no snow, Santa made his entrance with the help of a fire truck on base.

“Everyone who helped with this did an amazing job,” said Col. Andres Nazario, 17th Training Wing commander, “but it wouldn’t be an event without people coming, so thank you all for coming out.”

During the event there was also caroling and several performances by different school-age groups on base.

The event finished with the announcement of the winner of the Christmas card contest. This year the Goodfellow Spouse’s Club took third place, Wing Staff Agencies brought home second and the 312th Training Squadron came in first.

“The Christmas card contest was started by Suzanne McGee. She started working here in 1986 working out of the Arts and Crafts Center and started the contest in 1989,” said 17th Force Support Squadron Marketing Specialist Julie Manuel. “She continued to perpetuate the contest as a fun project to generate esprit de corps for the base as an introduction to the holidays until she retired in 2003, but the contest continues today.”