Tinker personnel give back, shop with area schoolchildren Published Dec. 14, 2012 By Brandice J. O'Brien Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Nine-year-old Dakota pranced and danced around a local department store the morning of Dec. 7 in a pair of brand-new black suede snow boots, admiring her feet. Elsewhere in the store, 5-year-old Andrew stood in awe of the jeans section, trying to pick out a pair for himself. Dakota and Andrew were two of 30 Mid-Del schoolchildren participating in Tinker's Clothe-the-Children program, an annual charitable event held by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Very Important Person/Special Air Mission and Special Duty Division, in which base personnel shop for clothing for less fortunate kids. "This event exemplifies the true meaning of Christmas -- giving and expecting nothing in return, and making kids smile," said Karren Majors, the division's coordinator for the event since 2002. Since its inception in 1991, event volunteers from the division raise money throughout the year to purchase $150 gift cards that will be spent on the children's clothing. Each child is paired with an adult for a morning shopping spree. Children often leave with a good, serviceable coat, sneakers, jeans and pants, shirts, underwear, socks, hat, gloves and scarves. While the event has been held for the past 21 years, the program has benefitted 382 children over the last 12 years, supplying them with $57,300 worth of clothing. "The best part about these boots is they are snow shoes, too," said Dakota, a third grader at Schwartz Elementary School in Oklahoma City. Robin Garretson, Dakota's personal shopper, smiled as she watched the 9-year-old spin and dance around. "It's my pleasure to participate in the program," said Ms. Garretson, of the VIPSAM and Special Duty Division, who's participated in the program for the last 14 or 15 years. "My kids -- 12 and 16 years old -- have everything they need. It's a blessing to help these kids who don't." Just a couple aisles away from Dakota, 10-year-old Tristan tried on a pair of Nike sneakers, deciding he liked them. Like Andrew, a kindergartner at Barnes Elementary School in Oklahoma City, and Dakota, Tristan is participating in the program for the first time. "This is pretty good. I'm going to get nice clothes for school," said the fifth grader at Cleveland Bailey Elementary School in Midwest City. "I don't have a lot of stuff at home." "He didn't even have a coat walking in," said Mark Ward, Tristan's shopper from the VIPSAM and Special Duty Division, who's been volunteering in the organization for the past six years. Despite the necessities the children are lacking, Col. Francesca Bartholomew, the VIPSAM and Special Duty Division chief, who's new to the program, said she has enjoyed making a new friend, 9-year-old Jasmine. "It's fantastic. I get to spend time with these great kids, like Jasmine," she said. "Plus the relationships, both past and present, that we've established with the Mid-Del School Superintendents and the managers and employees of JC Penney is wonderful. What matters most is this is our community, this - our - neighborhood, and these are all our kids." Jasmine is a third-grader at Del City Elementary School in Del City. Children from Townsend Elementary School in Del City also participated in the event. When the shopping portion of the event drew to a close, children were treated to breakfast supplied in brown paper bags and a stocking full of toys.