JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
How many Airmen does it take to move a library full of books and furniture?
In the case of the Universal City Public Library, it starts with one Airman who has a desire to improve her local community.
In one week, Tech. Sgt. Michelle Murphy, 19th Air Force NCO in charge, alongside volunteers from the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph's Rising 5/6 organization, relocated roughly 27,000 items from the Universal City Public Library, on Northview Street, to include books, movies, audiobooks, supplies and furniture.
In order to tear down the current building and rebuild, everything in the library needed to be moved to a temporary facility, located in the old Northview School on West Byrd Street.
The JBSA-Randolph Rising 5/6 is a private organization that aims to provide staff and technical sergeants opportunities for professional development, personal growth and community service.
According to Toni Davenport, the Universal City librarian, the move would have cost the library $25,000 had they contracted out for the entire service. Davenport said the task would have not only cost them money, but time.
"What Michelle and her crew accomplished in five days was more than what our volunteers could have handled. Some of our volunteers can move books, but many of them aren't as mobile," Davenport said. "'Thank you' doesn't begin to cover our gratitude."
Murphy got the lead on the library relocation from her husband Mark, who was doing work for Universal City Public Works. When she heard of the large undertaking, she contacted Davenport to offer her services.
"I live in Universal City and thought that having the chance to help make the local library bigger and better would be an awesome opportunity," Murphy said.
Murphy was able to solicit a total of 29 volunteers to work four-hour shifts each day.
"It was a very rewarding and exciting week," Murphy said. "Meeting new people and helping to make the community better is a fulfilling and gratifying experience. Also, the chance to highlight how much the Rising 5/6 supports the local community was a great privilege."
Staff Sgt. Aaron Franklin, JBSA-Rising 5/6 vice president, was grateful that Murphy afforded the organization with a chance to support Universal City.
"I think the best thing about our organization is our drive and steadfast commitment to our endeavors," Franklin said. "It reinforces trust and camaraderie and motivates the 5/6 community on base to support the organization and get involved."
"I had a mentor tell me when I first joined the Air Force 'Everyone benefits from great leadership, but no one benefits from the lack thereof.' This has stuck with me, and is the reason why I'm a part of the 5/6 council," Franklin continued. "As long as I am able to give back and pay forward some of the mentorship I've received, I will continue to do that."
Leadership is a merit shared by all Airmen of the Rising 5/6, but embodied by Airmen like Murphy and the other Rising 5/6 volunteers.
"I enjoy helping the community and it's always a pleasure bringing people together to work as a team and make amazing things happen," Murphy said.
The JBSA-Rising 5/6 holds its general membership meetings every third Thursday of the month, alternating between 3 p.m. meetings at the Kendrick Club and 10 a.m. meetings at the Parr Officer's Club. To find out more about the organization, visit their Facebook page.
The Universal City Public Library temporary location is 401 W. Byrd Street, Universal City, Texas, 78148. Once construction is done on the new building, the library will go back to its original location at 100 Northview Drive in Universal City.