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Caring for the Air Force Family:
Widows and Orphans Annual Retreat
 | | Participants gather as part of a drum circle at the IAF's Annual Widows & Orphans Retreat |
Supporting the families who have lost loved ones in the Air Force is at the heart of the IAF Center's social service mission. The Center once again held its annual retreat for widows and orphans of fallen IAF soldiers the week before Passover. Set in beautiful Kibbutz Kfar Blum in the northern Galilee, the weekend included hiking, magic and comedy shows, arts and crafts, beauty treatments, and other recreational activities to help the bereaved families relax, enjoy, and build a community of mutual support. A special visit during the weekend from IAF Commander, Major General Amir Eshel, sent a powerful message that these widows and orphans remain an integral part of the Air Force Family.
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A Bridge to National Service:
Youth Education and Leadership Retreat
 | | IAF Youth Corps prepare to lift off in a gliding course |
In March, the IAF Center brought IAF Youth Corps members from Sderot to Palmachim Air Force Base for a three-day leadership retreat. While on the base, the youth put on the IAF uniform for the first time - and took part in a number of training programs, including a gliding course. Tailored to prepare young people for their transition to military service, the weekend retreat is the culmination of an intensive two-year experience for these high school seniors. As one participant in this year's course said, "I've never felt prouder to be an Israeli - and more ready to take on the responsibilities of serving my country."
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Plans for Expansion:
IAF Center Board Convenes in Las Vegas  | | IAF Center Foundation Board Members & supporters in a hangar at Nellis Air Force Base |
At the beginning of April, IAFCF's Board and U.S. supporters gathered for the Foundation's Annual Retreat in Las Vegas. The group met with senior leaders from the IAF and U.S. Air Force, toured Nellis Air Force base, and charted out plans for growing the IAF Center Foundation's presence across the United States. |
