Committee of 100 welcomes Airmen to Altus

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Megan E. Acs
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  A Committee of 100 dinner was held March 30, and featured Fang-Masters from Mangum.

The Fang-Masters subdued and displayed rattlesnakes caught in the local area, allowing attendees to get up close and personal to the serpents that they would normally stay far away from. The Committee of 100 aims to make Altus Airmen feel like a part of the community, and Eva Letha Lucas, the Committee of 100 Chairman, even holds many of the dinners at her family farm.

The rattlesnakes served as the entertainment as well as a brief history lesson of an Oklahoma tradition -- the Rattlesnake Derby. This year, Mangum will hold its 50th annual Rattlesnake Derby.

Lucas said the Committee of 100 was formed in 1984, and that she has been the chairman since 2003.

"We do three events a year. We have one in March, which normally features the rattlesnakes and the Fang-Masters, and in May and October we go to the farm," she said. "People just love coming to the farm. We do hayrides, horseback riding and we roast marshmallows."

The dinners give people a taste of southwest Oklahoma, and serve to not only welcome newcomers to Altus AFB, but also to welcome back those who recently returned from deployments.

"That's why we do the rattlesnakes, you know. People don't realize how thickly populated they are here," said Lucas. "It's a way for people to get to see the rattlesnakes up close and personal, and it's a way of getting all the people involved in the city of Altus. That's what I like about what I do. It's for everybody. I don't just pick out one person; it's for the whole family."

Brian Bush, Altus Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, praised the event for its networking opportunities. "These dinners allow the newcomers to not only connect with other squadrons, but it also helps them feel like they know people in the community, whether it be a fellow service member or a civilian. We want them to feel at home," Bush said.

Each of the Committee of 100 dinners is the same at its core. There's a meal and entertainment, but Bush said the most important aspect is strengthening the base-community partnership.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Louella Campbell, Operations Support Squadron first sergeant, has been stationed at Altus AFB for over 3 years and attends the Committee of 100 dinners specifically to be an example to new personnel that there is always something to do in Altus, despite misconceptions.

"These dinners show that there is a community that embraces our military and provides activities for the families. They also show off the unique aspects of this assignment," Campbell said. "I always encourage Airmen to attend. No other assignment is going to welcome you with rattlesnakes, horseback riding, or fun and food for the whole family."

Campbell said the base and community partnership is extremely important because we are all part of the community, and we have to support each other and highlight the opportunities that exist for families in Altus.

"This community relies on the base. These are our Airmen and we'll do whatever we need to support them," said Bush. "We know it's difficult to move around, to be away from family and we know the sacrifices they make for us. We are so appreciative of what these folks do for us, so the least we can do is welcome them. We want them to enjoy being in our town, and we want it to be their town too."

Campbell said that she feels welcomed to the community because of the events the Committee of 100 hosts.

"I've been in the Air Force for over eighteen years and this is the only base I've ever seen something like this. It's great. I will absolutely continue to go to these dinners." she said.