Donations help victims of Typhoon Haiyan

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  When Shiela Cregger heard about Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, her first thought was for her family and friends.

Though she considers San Diego, Calif., to be her hometown, Cregger's first home was Olongapo City, Philippines, where she was born. She had friends affected by the typhoon, some of whom died as a result.

"I was shocked and heartbroken to learn about the lives that were lost and the magnitude of damage this calamity had caused the city of Tacloban," she said.

Cregger, a senior master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and stationed in the United Kingdom, felt helpless being so far away. After hearing from other Filipinos who couldn't get in touch with their family in the Philippines, and being a member of the Filipino-American organization off base, she reached out to a local Filipino restaurant to set up a donation station.

"Just like charities and non-governmental organizations from around the world, I, along with the Filipino, American and British communities, felt the need to reach out to the survivors who have lost everything - including their loved ones," she said.

In an effort to connect with those who were affected by this typhoon, Cregger feels that this is one small way to let those affected know they matter.

"Collecting and sending them all the donations was our way of saying there's still hope, and that there are still people in this world who care and are willing to help," Cregger said.

"We watch the news and saw other service members and bases in the Pacific donating and helping, and we just wanted to let the Filipino community back home know that although we may be far away in Europe, we're still willing to help and send aid," she said.

Private donation stations were set up on base, where people with base access gave food, medical supplies, blankets and clothing, or monetary donations.

Base members from RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath gave generously to aid victims and affected families of Typhoon Haiyan. Spouses of military members played a huge part in the organization of collecting the donations.

"We collected approximately 400 boxes of supplies; we really didn't anticipate the amount of help or response we got. - it was really overwhelming," Cregger said.

Additionally, the chapel offered a location where volunteers could get together and box all the items. The supplies were then shipped out to the Philippines by a local company who heard about the donations and wanted to help.

"(This) gives them hope and lets them know there are people out there who care for their well-being," she said. "Military spouses were the driving force for making the donations happen. They reached out to different organizations for help, but they are the ones who made this possible."