Operation Giving Thanks Distribution
November 21, 2025
December 15, 2025
December 15, 2025
Beardmore Event Center of Bellevue
Offutt AFB
Location
Bellevue Berry Farm
In 1996 the Offutt Advisory Council worked with the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and the Ak-sar-ben Chapter of the Air Force Association to sponsor the Offutt AFB Appreciation Day Picnic. The event, chaired for 20 years by Lyle Ward, began with free food, drink, and games for our military personnel and their children. Herman Colvin chaired the picnic for ten years. He said “We host this event to show how much we appreciate what everyone does in support of our nation, especially the families who have to spend time apart from their loved ones for large periods of time.”
The event continues to grow and bring together volunteers and businesses that want to reach out and say “thank you” to our dedicated military personnel and their families. In 2025 more than 12,000 Offutt AFB men, women and their families attended this special appreciation day event.
The picnic includes free food, drink, music from the USAF Heartland of America Band, pony rides, bounce houses, rock climbing walls, face painting, hayrack rides and drawings for hundreds of prizes that have been donated by area businesses.
Today the Picnic is Co-chaired by Tim Burke, George Rybar, John Winkler and Bob Danenhauer.
Wild Blue Yonder is a social/fundraising event sponsored by the Offutt Advisory Council. It began in 1996 as “The Harvest Ball,” chaired by Rick and Rita Sanders, and included many community and military leaders.
In 2002 the Harvest Ball became a fund-raiser for OAC after the 9-11 attacks and increased deployments put financial stress on military families. In 2018 the event was renamed “Play Ball” and one year later the name changed to “Wild Blue Yonder.”
Initially, funds were provided to the Chief’s Group or First Sergeants’ Association to assist the families of those deployed. Subsequently, funds have been used for this purpose as well as broader purposes supporting the OAC mission to promote the morale and welfare of the personnel attached to Offutt Air Force Base and their families and enhance the facilities and assets of Offutt and the 55th Wing.
In 2025, a check for $85,000 was presented to the Chief’s Group in support of our military men and women and their families. In addition, a check for $11,500 was presented to support the Offutt AFB Food Pantry. This event is co-chaired by Susan Colvin and Tim Burke.
This is the fourth year that Offutt Advisory Council has provided turkeys/hams for our military families during the holidays. In 2022 the OAC received a $10,000 matching grant from Mutual of Omaha Foundation to support the needs of our military families. And in a very short period of time, over $60,000 additional dollars were raised allowing the OAC to expand the support for our military men, women, and their families. A special thank you to Tim Burke and Herman Colvin for coordinating this effort.
As a result:
1,000 turkeys, 1,000 hams, 1,000 gift certificates, and 3 lb. packages of hamburger were distributed for Thanksgiving and Christmas;
$3,000 was provided to the Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club for Winter Wonderland (an event for enlisted families that includes dinner, crafts, and a gift from Santa for the children. Approximately 800 people attend this very special event.);
$3,000 was provided to the First Sergeants’ Operation Warm Heart Fund for financially stressed military personnel during the holidays; and
OAC partnered with Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and their Operation Holiday Cheer. Each year gift bags with food, treats, baseball tickets, etc. are put together for airmen living in the dorms that will not be home for Christmas. This year OAC provided 950–$50 Amazon gift cards and 950 DJ’s Dugout/Catfish Lake $25 gift cards.
