Families invite Airmen for Thanksgiving Published Nov. 19, 2008 By Keesler News Staff 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS -- Monday is the deadline for people to sign up for the chapel's Home Away from Home program for nonprior service Airmen. Host families volunteer to provide a holiday meal for two or more students. Active-duty, civil service and retirees are invited to participate. Tech. Sgt. Lerry Forester, 81st Medical Support Squadron, has never participated in the program before. He wanted to get involved this year because he recalled that when he was an Airman, a military family invited him into their home for the holidays when he didn't know anyone. "When I was living overseas, I always got invited to someone's home or invited co-workers into my home," he said. "I would just like to get the Airmen out of their element when things can be lonely when they're missing home." Sergeant Forester, who's invited three Airmn, said he and his wife, Kathy, plan to cook turkey, ham and other traditional dishes such as mashed potatoes, collard greens and cornbread. "We have two kids -- everyone is looking forward to them coming," he said. "We plan on playing games and talking with them." Host sign-up forms are turned in at the Triangle Chapel or the Fishbowl Student Center in the Levitow Training Support Facility, by e-mail to charles.mallory@ keesler.af.mil, or by calling 377-8256 or 2311. Host and student registration forms are also available at the Keesler public Web site, http://www.keesler.af.mil. Student sign-up forms are also available at the Fishbowl. Staff Sgt. Tanya Holditch, Keesler News editor, and Susan Griggs, Keesler News staff, contributed to this report.