Fort Bliss Monitor

BNCOC Soldiers lend helping hand

Staff Sgt.Teresa Holden
Operations NCO, BNCOC

The Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Class 05-04 with Brandi Gurrola, far left, “by example.”

Students from the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course Class 05-04 pitched in and spent some of their rare personal time July 31 to help El Paso’s Rainbow Room sort donated items and refurbish the facilities there.

The Rainbow Room supplies children, from infants to teens, in the El Paso Foster Care Program with necessary items for school and everyday needs. The Soldiers separated and inventoried items such as shoes, school supplies, clothing, diapers, baby bottles, baby carriers and toys.

“I didn’t know any specifics, but I knew it was an organization that helps needy children,” said Staff Sgt. Eduardo Buelvas. “While we were there the ladies from the Rainbow Room gave us a little insight into what the Rainbow Room was all about.”

Buelvas continued, “I have four children of my own and would want someone to help them if they needed it. There are so many people worse off than we are that it would be wrong for us not to do everything we can to help.”

The Rainbow Room helps more than 1,500 children a year and is staffed by one person, Brandi R. Gurrola, community partners coordinator, Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. Her only help is from volunteers like the Soldiers from Class 05-04. “We have $10,000 to $15,000 of inventory and they finished all that,” said Gurrola.

“I would not have gotten it all done by myself. We have other volunteers, but not in the amount we had Saturday. It would have taken months to do this without the Soldiers.”

Besides sorting goods, the Soldiers refinished areas of the office by painting and hanging new shelves that would hold the inventoried donations.

“I think everyone wants to help but they just don’t know how,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Pierson. “If you let your Soldiers and peers know about opportunities they will be more likely to help.”

Class 05-04 left an impression on Gurrola and the Rainbow Room. “[The Soldiers] were great. I grew up in the military, I miss being around them. They do the job that needs to be done, but they do it in a way that does not seem like work,” said Gurrola. “They made four hours of heat and sweat very enjoyable. In the future we hope to let the volunteers work with the children as well.”

For information about volunteering at the Rainbow Room, call Gurrola at 521-3925.



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	August 5, 2004

Sgt. Buddy Coy puts the final touch on the walls of the Rainbow Room. Staff Sgt. Robert Manis assists Staff Sgt. Joseph Calhoun in mounting shelves. Staff Sgt. Andrea Garza, Staff Sgt. Marlon Ligon and Sgt. Scott Stowell apply a fresh coat of paint to the Rainbow Room. Staff Sgt. Andrew Buisch and Sgt. Darius Corke help reno-vate the Rainbow Room. <map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	BNCOC Soldiers lend helping hand Staff Sgt.Teresa Holden Operations NCO, BNCOC The Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Class 05-04 with Brandi Gurrola, far left, “by example.” Students from the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course Class 05-04 pitched in and spent some of their rare personal time July 31 to help El Paso’s Rainbow Room sort donated items and refurbish the facilities there. The Rainbow Room supplies children, from infants to teens, in the El Paso Foster Care Program with necessary items for school and everyday needs. The Soldiers separated and inventoried items such as shoes, school supplies, clothing, diapers, baby bottles, baby carriers and toys. “I didn’t know any specifics, but I knew it was an organization that helps needy children,” said Staff Sgt. Eduardo Buelvas. “While we were there the ladies from the Rainbow Room gave us a little insight into what the Rainbow Room was all about.” Buelvas continued, “I have four children of my own and would want someone to help them if they needed it. There are so many people worse off than we are that it would be wrong for us not to do everything we can to help.” The Rainbow Room helps more than 1,500 children a year and is staffed by one person, Brandi R. Gurrola, community partners coordinator, Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. Her only help is from volunteers like the Soldiers from Class 05-04. “We have $10,000 to $15,000 of inventory and they finished all that,” said Gurrola. “I would not have gotten it all done by myself. We have other volunteers, but not in the amount we had Saturday. It would have taken months to do this without the Soldiers.” Besides sorting goods, the Soldiers refinished areas of the office by painting and hanging new shelves that would hold the inventoried donations. “I think everyone wants to help but they just don’t know how,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Pierson. “If you let your Soldiers and peers know about opportunities they will be more likely to help.” Class 05-04 left an impression on Gurrola and the Rainbow Room. “[The Soldiers] were great. I grew up in the military, I miss being around them. They do the job that needs to be done, but they do it in a way that does not seem like work,” said Gurrola. “They made four hours of heat and sweat very enjoyable. In the future we hope to let the volunteers work with the children as well.” For information about volunteering at the Rainbow Room, call Gurrola at 521-3925.