How a $10.25 Donation Made a Difference to AFA’s Mission
June 11, 2026
In Greenville, Texas, the Northeast Texas AFA Chapter 416 (NETXAFA) is furthering the Air & Space Forces Association’s (AFA) mission to inspire military service.
NETXAFA, led by volunteers, supports the local air, space, and military community from Rockwall, Texas to Arkansas. NETXAFA funds STEM initiatives, awards thousands in student scholarships, and directly supports local military units, including the 344th Recruiting Squadron and the 645th Aeronautical Engineering Support Squadron (AESS).
For Vance Clarke, NETXAFA’s Treasurer, fueling these local initiatives is deeply personal—a commitment rooted in a ten-dollar bill and a quarter he has carried for years.
During his time in uniform as a Command Chief Master Sergeant, Clarke spoke at an event with families and community members. Afterward, three elementary school girls approached him. They handed him a handwritten note with $10.25 taped to it.
The note read:
Dear Air Force,
From Janae Kirschke, Marissa Uhlhorn, and Alicia Drum
We have some money that we gathered up for the troops. Please send this to them so we can support them. If you would, please send this to them and it would be awesome! Thank you for yor help. We have $10.25 for them. We hope it really helps. We are very grateful for all the troops fighting for our country.
God bless,
Clarke was deeply moved by the note—nearly to tears. He had recently returned from a deployment to Kuwait and was reminded of his comrades still in harm’s way. Clarke immediately donated $10.25 of his own to ensure the girls’ heartfelt contribution continued.
Clarke kept the original note—and the original donation—taped together as a reminder that inspiring youth truly matters, and that they notice, care, and understand more often than realized about the sacrifices their parents and our military members make for them.
Recently, Clarke finally parted with the keepsake. After photographing the note for posterity, he took the original $10.25 to the bank to deposit into NETXAFA’s accounts to advance the chapter’s efforts and mission to inspire military service. A bystander, hearing the story during the transaction, handed Clarke another quarter, bringing the final deposit to $10.50.
“Inspiring military service is essential to keeping our nation strong and free,” Clarke said. “The service of our members is sustained by the encouragement, generosity, and example of people like these three young girls. Their original gift has created a doubling of their impact through a simple act of kindness.”