Hilltop Times – Hill Air Force Base Weekly Newspaper Since 1948

Native American/Alaska Native Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the culture that still exists among so many people in the population of Utah, and the Hill NAAN Heritage Committee's invitation to Tribal Council Chairman Larry Cesspooch of the Utes gave residents a chance to hear some of the history of Utah's natives.

"I'm from a traditional family who speaks Ute and sings and dances," Cesspooch said. "My great-grandfather had a big white birthmark on his belly, so 'Cesspooch' was his Indian name."

Shana Elliott and some of her friends have joined the fight against cancer by sacrificing something a lot of men and women would find difficult to part with: their hair.

Elliott, a military spouse, and eighteen other women, either cut their hair shorter or had their heads shaved in order to donate their hair to a charity, Children with Hair Loss, which makes wigs for children who suffer from cancer.

The Hill Thrift Shop celebrated its fiftieth anniversary earlier this year, and it shows no signs of slowing down its services yet.

"People are always moving around, so they have a place to bring their no-longer needed items," store manager Brigitte Di Vito said.

Operation Homefront has extended its services to military spouses at Hill Air Force Base in a smart and generous way.

The spouses of Hill AFB and the surrounding areas were invited to a dinner, raffle and seminar at the Ogden Marriott on Oct. 13, with the attendance number at well over 100 people.

"I think it's a fun idea. There's a lot of support. I think they're trying to provide us information about what kind of support is truly out there," said Jennifer Long, one of the spouses.

Fire Prevention Week was marked by an annual tradition that emphasizes the importance of its message to younger people. Firefighter for a Day, which gives four children the opportunity to see how a fire station works, proved to be a worthwhile event for everyone involved.

Anna Joyner, Aurora Emerson, Jason Bost, and Jonathon Coffing of Hill Field Elementary School won a contest for writing essays about fire safety, expressing pride for their accomplishments.

The Hispanic Heritage Committee staged a lunch and dance event in Centennial Park Wednesday to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, with great enthusiasm from attendees.

More than 50 people attended the event, sitting along the benches and socializing as Hispanic Heritage month unfolded around them.

"It's great. I have experience with Hispanic culture, having been married to a Hispanic woman for 14 years," said civilian Jeff Wilson after sampling the authentic food offered at the event.

Every year the Air Force Maintenance Workers of Hill AFB have a reunion of their former employees, and the 2012 reunion featured a diverse group of people from every division of the profession.

One retiree, Ray Allred, now 94, attended the first Mechanic Learner class at Hill AFB in 1941, in which members earned $600 per year for a 44-hour work week.

"We learned how to be electricians and repairmen. I worked in the sheet metal shop. We repaired the airplanes in the hangar," Allred said.

Wheelin' Wildcats game to feature cheerleaders, halftime fun on Oct. 10

The Wheelin' Wildcats annual basketball game is about to arrive with great entertainment for anyone who enjoys watching sports.

The event is being put together by the Committee for Persons with Disabilities Month, and it will take place on Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. at the Warrior Fitness Center. Admission is free for everyone, but people are requested to bring a can of food for the Airmen's Attic charity.

Be Cinderella for a day and try on as many dresses as you would like.

Let Belle of the Ball program manager Holly Kelley be your personal shopper and hand you dress after dress, until you find the perfect one; or maybe the perfect two.

The Belle of the Ball is a special occasion dress loan program, currently with about 400 dresses, made available to any military member, DoD, spouse or family member with Hill Air Force Base access and the proper identification.

"You don't have to be a baseball fan to come to Lindquist Field and enjoy a game," said Dave Baggott, president and general manager of the team. For nineteen years Baggott has been working with Top of Utah Military Affairs Committee (TOUMAC) to sponsor Military Appreciation Night, a military themed night in which players compete wearing camouflage to show their support for Team Hill and their families.