April 29, 2015 -- Active-duty service members at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany took advantage of the sunny day, April 24, and set up camp to a line of patrons who came to support the Marines’ efforts to raise funds for the 2015 Marine Corps Birthday Ball.
For the past few weeks, the concrete bay across from the Auto Skills Center, here, has been the gathering point for a team of Marines who are volunteering their time to wash the cars of base personnel, residents and patrons aboard the installation.
Staff Sgt. Richard Shedd, base career planner, MCLB Albany, discussed the purpose and benefit of the weekly car wash event.
“Today’s car wash is (on behalf of) the Marine Corps Birthday Ball Committee, who’s raising money for the Ball this year,” Shedd said. “So, that’s why we’re out here today. It’s on a donation basis, so (people) can come out, get (their) cars washed and give as much as they want to give.”
Shedd said he was expecting additional Marines to come out to assist them with the traffic he hoped they would generate.
“So far, we have been pretty busy,” he said. “We’ve already washed one, we’re washing one now and we have one in line. We’re just hoping it continues for the rest of the day and we hope more Marines will come to help out next time around. We’d also like to see everyone on base come out and get their cars washed at some point.”
One patron, Raymond Breaux, retired affairs officer/relocation manager, MCLB Albany, commented on why he chose to wait in line to get his vehicle washed.
“I’m here to support the Marines,” Breaux said. “I try to support them every year when they’re out here doing the car wash. I like to be here to help them raise money so they can afford to attend the Marine Corps (Birthday) Ball. This is my first time this year but I plan to come out and get my car washed at least once every week for as long as they’re out here.”
According to Shedd, their fundraising project has done well over the past three weeks and he is urging the base community to support their efforts in the coming weeks.
The Marine Corps Birthday Ball Committee team plans to be washing vehicles at the bay location every Friday, from now through November, between the hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The 2015 Marine Corps Birthday Ball is tentatively scheduled to be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Albany, Georgia, November 5, according to committee members.