CAFB supports annual Spring Pilgrimage

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Charles Dickens
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  For 72 years Columbus, Miss. has been dragging out historical costumes and filling antebellum homes with tourists and locals alike. Every spring Columbus hosts a Spring Pilgrimage that shows how far back the town's history dates and allows the community to get a taste of centuries past.

To help contribute to this award-winning event volunteers from Columbus Air Force Base act as hostesses of the homes on the Pilgrimage tours.

The Columbus Spouse's Club ran an annual dress shop that created, altered and fitted antebellum-style dresses used during the Spring Pilgrimage. The dress shop ran solely on volunteers from inside and outside of the club.

The CSC also helped to organize for the Pilgrimage by drafting sign-up sheets to volunteer for being a hostess. The volunteers were able to decide whether they wanted to be a full-time or part-time volunteer, whether they wanted to host multiple houses or stick to a single home and the days and times they were to work.

These types of events that allow members of CAFB to volunteer and participate in the community help to bridge the gap between the base and the local populace.

"It's neat to see the historical part of Columbus," said Devin Lammy, a volunteer from CAFB, "but it's especially nice getting to know the community members of Columbus and getting to see a side of Columbus that you don't get to see unless you're a little bit involved in the community."

For many of the volunteers this event was unlike anything they had participated in before.
"It has been quite a new experience and very interesting," said Kelsey DeSanti, a volunteer from CAFB. "It's been fun and you learn a lot."

As this year's Spring Pilgrimage draws to a close it is important to note that this event takes place to relive the town's history and educate people who are not aware of the history of Columbus.

"I hope that people take advantage of it, especially people that don't get into Columbus very often. It's a great way to see a little bit about the town and where we're living," said Lammy.