Volunteer helps provide toys for JBLM children

By Julie Smith

Northwest Guardian

As a child, Lisa Bennett remembers volunteering with her church to assemble and deliver food baskets to deserving families around the holidays. All year long, she and her sister put aside a portion of their weekly allowances, saving to purchase and donate Christmas gifts for children.

Now, as the secretary of Santa’s Castle and Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s January Volunteer of the Month, Bennett continues to nurture that giving spirit by focusing on the needs of military families.

Santa’s Castle is a JBLM organization, completely donor funded and volunteer supported, that provides toys to children of service members E-4 and below in financial need. Last Christmas, Bennett and other staff members received 850 referrals to Santa’s Castle from unit commanders, first sergeants and chaplains.

“We saw so many families this year that had just crazy circumstances. Some of these Soldiers (and Airmen) are really young with families and they have a lot of responsibilities,” Bennett said. “But we met a lot of commanders and first sergeants who were really wonderful and really knew their service members and wanted to help them, so that was nice to see how much they cared.”

Bennett is no stranger to devoting her time to worthy causes. In addition to working at Santa’s Castle for the last three holiday seasons, she volunteers for two pet-based charities in Thurston County. One delivers pet food and supplies to individuals served by Meals on Wheels, and the other provides spaying and neutering services to feral cats.

“I’ve always volunteered. I can’t imagine not doing something like this,” Bennett said. “I don’t do it for recognition; I do it because I can.”

As a former hospital administrator, Bennett said she was on a career track working 70 hours a week until she met and married her husband, Lt. Col. Ian Bennett.

“I never aspired to be anyone’s spouse, let alone an Army spouse,” Bennett said. “But it’s the best decision I ever made.”

That good decision landed her at JBLM in spring 2010, and Bennett started volunteering at Santa’s Castle that Christmas season. She insists she is just one of many who contribute to the organization’s success.

“We all work so hard. I don’t feel like I did anything different than anybody else who volunteers here,” she said. “We all just want to make a difference.”

Because of PCS moves, Santa’s Castle will soon be losing half its board members, and even though the bulk of the organization’s work doesn’t begin until late summer, there is work to do all year.

“There are always opportunities to volunteer,” Bennett said. “There are always people that need help and there are always people that can help them. It’s just finding that match.”