Last week, we opened our first Community Center for our Eielson AFB residents. The new center marks the 35^th among all of our military installations and is a testament to our unmatched commitment to make our service members feel at home.

This latest community center includes a multi-purpose room and a club room that includes shuffle board, foosball and other arcade games. The children’s playroom incorporates the feel of Alaska with a toy camper that kids can play in with a small camping area. Outside, you will find an oversized fireplace, where families can enjoy a beautiful Alaska night gazing up at the stars and stay warm by the fire. To honor the history of Eielson, the Design team integrated an important, local artifact, a radio operator’s panel, from the “Lady of Lake” aircraft, which sits on a lake in Eielson. The plane was used in the lake for open-water extraction training until it became too dangerous. Now, the aircraft remains in the lake, while the panel hangs in the foyer and is a thoughtful way to connect our community center to the roots of the town.

As with all of our community centers, this facility was designed to foster a better sense of community for our service members and should be place for them to enjoy with their family and friends.

Left to right: Construction Manager Mathieu Tinkelenberg, Operations Director Kim Zimmerman, Construction Director Kelly Karl and Partnership Liaison Jim Champagne arriving to the ribbon cutting ceremony in the Model T that was driven by Carl Benjamin Eielson, for whom Eielson AFB is name. Eielson, an American aviator, bush pilot and explorer, drove this car from 1926 - 1929.	Featured in this photo is a radio operator's panel from the "Lady of the Lake" aircraft, which sits on a lake on Eielson AFB. The plan was used in the lake for open-water extraction training until it became too dangerous. Now the aircraft remains in the lake while the panel hangs in the Community Center foyer.