MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Marines from Combat Service Support Detachment 36 and their families spread holiday cheer to a child support facility Dec. 27.
The annual meeting brought the Ninoshima Gakuen Child Support Facility to the Station for the first time.
"In the past we have gone there and helped build playgrounds or anything else we could do, but this year there wasn't much the kids needed so we decided to have them here for Christmas," said CSSD-36 First Sergeant 1st Sgt. Donald Carrow.
The day's events kicked off with the children arriving at the IronWorks Gym for a quick lunch before heading over to the flight line for a static display of aircraft.
After the children enjoyed viewing the aircraft, it was time to head back to the gym and meet their sponsors.
According to Carrow, all the Marines volunteered to sponsor a child for the day.
"The Marines really went out of their way, and some of them even sponsored two or three kids," said Carrow.
He added that the Marines took it upon themselves to get gifts for their designated child.
"The Single Marine Program gave us one gift per child, but the Marines wanted to do more, and once they found out the age and gender of their child they bought gifts accordingly," he said.
Once all of the names were called out and everyone was paired off, the gym was filled with torn wrapping paper and children playing games with their sponsors.
Lance Cpl. Kerry Pless, CSSD-36 welder, said the smiles on the children's faces were quickly spreading to all the Marines.
"Sometimes we take things for granted, especially around the holidays, but seeing these kids and how happy they are despite what they have to deal with is incredible."
Later in the afternoon the children and their sponsors made their way to the Southside Mess Hall and after their meal, bid farewell.
"This is what Christmas is all about. I think the Marines benefited from this as much as the children did," said Carrow.