Spouses Katie Williams and Jamie Schneider became friends through the Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club. Williams was the first person Schneider got to know. “I met Katie at the first meeting, and then the next day I ran into her at Walmart, and she asked if I was coming back,” said Schneider, vice president of the Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club. The two became fast friends, and their friendship has grown over the years.
Schneider was drawn to the group because she loves volunteering, solving problems, and helping with events. “I make friends by volunteering,” she said.
The club motto is “spouses supporting spouses,” and the group does that by giving back to the military family community and providing support for one another.
“No one prepares you to form adult friendships. Being an adult in a new city is hard. It’s great to have a group that you have the military spouse in common to bring you together in friendship,” added Schneider.
The Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club is open to all military spouses. The current club has between 65 and 75 members, and they meet weekly on Thursdays. There are also other sub-clubs such as book clubs, play date clubs, quilt clubs, and coffee clubs. They allow members to start new sub-clubs based on commonality. The Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club has been a way for military spouses to support other spouses through volunteerism and friendship for over 65 years.
“Being a military spouse is a large part of who I am. It’s taken me around the world and allowed me to meet new people and discover new things. Having a spouse in the military has made life more challenging, but it’s also made me more resilient and patient. I’ve grown as a woman, mother, and partner because I’m a military spouse,” said Williams, the club’s president.
“Before I met my husband, I had an amazing life, but everyone around me was just like me. When I met my husband and became a military spouse, I was exposed to so many people who aren’t like me—people I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to become friends with otherwise. This has helped me to experience so many different customs and traditions,” Schneider reflected.
One of the biggest aspects that both women enjoy about the club is the way that they can come together with other spouses to form friendships and get the support they need. “The club allows us to create a network all while serving others,” Williams said.
“Last summer, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. When I lost my hair, two club members shaved their heads. From that point on, I knew that I didn’t have to go to another event and be the only bald woman in the room,” Schneider shared.
The simple act of kindness meant so much to her. “The struggles that you face as a military spouse and in general can be overwhelming, and the club members have been so supportive throughout my journey,” Schneider continued.
The Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club’s largest fundraiser each year is the Bazaar held in October, this year slated for Saturday, the 19th, from 9 am until 3 pm at Bellevue Christian Center. Vendors are invited to sell merchandise, which includes handcrafted items, baked goods, clothing, jewelry, gourmet foods, and wood art, ahead of the holiday season.
The event also features a $2 quilt raffle to raise money for the scholarship fund. The Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club awards between three and six scholarships, typically $1,000 each, to children of active or retired military. Spouses of the military are also eligible.
Every December, the Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club also puts on the Winter Wonderland for enlisted families and their children. The event, entering its 30th year, is held because many military personnel can’t see their families during the holidays. Tickets are $1 per child, an amount that includes a toy valued at $15 or more. The event, which attracts hundreds of people, features crafts, activities, and food. Children get to meet Santa and have their faces painted. Everything about the event is positive and joyous, allowing military families and their children to enjoy the spirit of the holidays. Businesses are also invited to make tax-deductible donations to the Winter Wonderland, which are always welcome to help cover the cost of the event.
Schneider and Williams encourage all military spouses in the community to come to their meetings and join them in this journey. “Life can be so difficult. Join our club so you can be with others,” Schneider said.
For more information about joining the Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club or to attend one of their events, visit offuttenlistedspousesclub.com.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
