The Overrun opens for business

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Lauren Woods
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
At 10:30 a.m., the atmosphere in the building was electric. Staff checked the registers one last time while technicians finished hanging wall signs.

Already the door was propped open, causing the smell of freshly-cooked wings to waft through the building.

At 11 a.m. on Feb. 1, exactly nine months after it closed for renovations, The Columbus Club was once again open for business.

The Columbus Air Force Base Community Club closed May 1, 2015, in order to change out the Heating, Ventilation and Cooling system, during which base personnel took advantage of the closure to refresh the building’s interior. A team comprised of personnel from multiple base agencies, led by the 14th Mission Support Group Commander’s Action Group Chief, Capt. Bri Peterson, spearheaded the nine-month, $1.3-million renovation process.

Peterson explained that the renovation was critical because the club is the primary location for indoor events.

“We have events from spouse club meetings to assignment nights to graduations,” Peterson said. “The new HVAC system was the main cause, but we completely redid the decorations. New paint, new carpet, new ceiling tiles, fans, lights, the whole thing is new.”

One of the largest changes was the rechristening of the club’s restaurant, previously known as Indy’s, to The Overrun.

“Indy’s was named because it was on Independence Avenue,” Peterson said. “Col. (John) Nichols (14th Flying Training Wing Commander) wanted something with heritage, and to build interest we decided to get the base community involved (by holding a naming contest). The Overrun was chosen because, kind of like how golfers have the 19th Hole, pilots finish flying and go to the Overrun.”

Getting the building ready in time was not simple.

“The time frame was a challenge, getting all the moving pieces put together,” Peterson said. “In addition we worked with pretty much every single agency on base, requiring a lot of coordination.”

Fred Mamiya, 14th Force Support Squadron Sustainment Flight Chief, echoed the sentiment.

“The time frame was definitely challenging, but the results are way beyond my expectations. It’s a beautiful club,” Mamiya said. “We’re still working out some of the hiccups, but that happens at every club regardless of whether it’s a grand opening or every day.”

While expectations for the refreshed club are high, the staff is confident they can not only meet but exceed them. Lance Orsborn, Executive Chef of the Columbus Club and The Overrun, was confident as he finished setting out supplies for the lunch buffet.

“It’s great to be back in business,” Orsborn said. “We completely refreshed the menu and I think customers are going to love it.”

As the clock hit 11 a.m., the customers began to arrive. David Tedford, Hunt Housing Technician, was the first in line.

“I used to come here two to three times per week,” Tedford said as he sat down with a plate of the lunch buffet. “I will definitely be back.”

The Overrun is open every day for lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with a different buffet available each day. A Grand Opening ceremony was held at 10:14 a.m. Feb. 5, where Nichols cut a ribbon signifying the reopening of the Columbus Club.