September 4, 2010-ECCF

     After another very busy, crazy work week trying to rearrange and settle in to our new school reorganization, everyone is ready for the long Labor Day weekend.  As for me, I’m heading back to Roi for at least 3 days of diving before the trade winds kick in full force with the fall and keep us off the water.  On Kwaj, the myriad of school year activities are ramping up.  

     To start off, the first and last Roi ECCF Chili Cook-Off will be held on Kwajalein’s beaches.  ECCF stands for Enniburr Children’s Christmas Fund, and it is an organization established several years ago on Roi as a charity to support the nearby island of Enniburr (also referred to as Third Island) with school supplies given to them during a large Christmas celebration held either on Roi or Enniburr.  There are several fundraisers put together throughout the year including the Coconut Cup (where painted and modified coconuts are floated down from the Surf Shack to the Pier just for fun and all donations for entering coconuts and the winning coconut monies are given to ECCF) and the Chili Cook-Off. What is different about this year is the holding of the Chili Cook-Off on Kwaj. It has always been held on Roi and with support from the range, extra flights and/or catamarans transport Kwaj residents up to join in the festivities which range from pie throwing contests to the actual chili tasting competition and selling of goods from the various private clubs around the atoll. 

     This year, there was not enough support to hold it on Roi, so it is being held on Kwaj, and as a consequence, it will most likely be the last year ECCF will be able to continue to operate.  In many ways, it is the dying of an era, which we have seen a lot of on the islands in the last few years due to the reductions in force and budget.  Last year, the annual Christmas party usually held on Roi for the Ennniburr residents had to be taken to them on their island as once again there was not enough support and money to put together the large carnival games, meals, Santa and gift giving of previous years. 

     This is the toughest part of living here during a transition in the base, watching those fantastic private organizations who are giving back to the host nation community die out due to lack of volunteers and overall support.  I hope that somehow the ECCF will be able to continue to live on, albeit maybe on a smaller scale, for years to come, but either way, I’m sure this weekend on Kwaj they will have a kicking party and go out with a bang, and maybe with further Kwajalein community awareness and financial support of the event from being “downtown” this year, the ECCF will be able to come back.  Long live the ECCF!!