RAF MILDENHALL, England — Two friends close to the family of slain Senior Airman Nicholas Alden created an online auction shortly after his March 2 shooting death at Germany’s Frankfurt international airport to raise money for his widow and two young children.
After receiving word of the shootings, Kelsey Jezierski and Jennifer Miller formed the “Auction to Raise Funds for the Alden Family” group on the social media site Facebook, and the effort now has more than 260 items and services available for auction.
The site attracted more than 2,000 supporters in the first four days and the number has increased by more than 900 people since. The bidding closes March 30 and direct donations will cease March 27, according to the site.
All proceeds from the auction and donations will be given to the family’s two children — ages 3 and 1, according to Jezierski.
Available items range from handmade jewelry, crafts, clothes and accessories to professional photography sessions. There are two items in particular that have surpassed their expected bids: a gift basket that includes an autographed cast photo from the television show “Army Wives,” and a catered barbecue for 60 people. The items had bids of $350 and $550, respectively, as of Friday.
Alden was assigned to 48th Security Forces Squadron at RAF Lakenheath. For the Alden Facebook page, go to: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/AldenFund
The second airman killed in the Frankfurt airport, Airman 1st Class Zachary Cuddeback, has a similar group on Facebook named the Zachary Ryan Cuddeback Celebration Memorial fund.
