(Clovis, New Mexico) Thursday, November 2, 2023—For many young military members, moving to a new place can be a challenging, lonely experience. In an attempt to alleviate some of the anxiety of being alone or far from home – often for the first time – the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 50 along with Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce and Portales Military Affairs Committee are seeking community participation in their program “Your New Mexico Home.” In effort to provide a home away from home for airmen in their first years at Cannon Air Force Base, “Your New Mexico Home” pairs single airmen living on base with civilian host families from Clovis and Portales, creating an avenue to form friendships and gather support beyond the formal work environment.
From welcoming the airmen for holiday meals or grabbing coffee around town, to playing sports and doing outdoor activities, host families will be able to plan interactions to best match their lives and interests of the airmen. Overall, host families will serve as mentors, friends and advisers while providing a caring environment for the airmen to escape from the stress of day-to-day life. Any single airmen living in the dorms on base are eligible – especially those with Cannon as their first duty assignment.
The interactions between participating airmen and the host families can develop into strong, long-lasting bonds, and within the next couple years the committee expects to have 80-85 host families and around 300-400 participating airmen. James Burns of the Committee of 50 continues to co-chair Your New Mexico Home with Diane Bergin, spouse of 27th Special Operations Wing Commander Col. Jeremy Bergin.
Any civilian families in Clovis or Portales who have the desire and commitment to make a positive difference in a young airman’s life are encouraged to get more information about Your New Mexico Home. All host families must sign a liability waiver and pass a background check.
For more information about participating, please contact the Chamber of Commerce at (575) 763-3435. **** |
The Clovis Municipal Schools neither endorses nor sponsors the organization or activity promoted in this document. The distribution of this material is provided on an equal basis as a community service.