What Is the Malmstrom Spouses Club, and Why Does It Matter?
For many military families arriving at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana’s wide-open skies can feel both beautiful and infatuating but also sometimes lonely. However, for the spouses who find their way to the Malmstrom Spouses Club, that distance quickly shrinks and is replaced by laughter, friendship, and a sense of belonging that feels like home.
“Not everyone chooses to come to Montana, so we want to be that outlet — a fun, welcoming space for people,” Leanne Ward said. The president of the club.
The Malmstrom Air Force Base Spouses Club describes itself as a social outlet for military spouses and a place to connect, have fun, and build community. Beyond its gatherings and events, the club serves a purpose of giving back on and off base through volunteer work and charitable donations.For newcomers to Montana, especially those navigating the challenges of military life, the club offers a welcoming space to make friends, share experiences, and find support in a community that truly understands their situation and where they’re coming from.
“We’re a social outlet for spouses — but we also give back to the community both on and off base,” Ward said.
How Is the Club Organized and Led?
The club is guided by a 13-member board and several mini club leads, totaling about 20 active organizers. Leadership positions including president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and chairs for charity, socials, and publicity rotate almost every year due to frequent military moves. However, this isn’t necessarily seen as a bad thing, but instead brings fresh energy and ideas to the team.
“We do lose that continuity of staff every year, but sometimes it’s a good thing because we also gain new ideas,” Ward said.
Subheading: How Does Everything Work Day to Day?
Leaders say the club runs on collaboration rather than hierarchy. The president focuses on guiding projects in line with the club’s mission, while the vice president coordinates logistics and communication.
“Everyone brings their own special gift to events — like Megan brings the décor and Crystal is good at little details,” Ward said.
At its core, the club is about connection. Each month, members gather for a social event and can also join “mini clubs” based on shared interests including wine, books, brunch, and crafting.
“I really love our mini clubs,” said Megan King, the club’s vice president.
She claims that the little communities are one of her favorite parts about the club because they give members the opportunity to build a space for themselves and can even start new ones at any time! This ensures there’s something for everyone no matter how diverse the interest, she said
How Does the Club Serve the Community?
Beyond the social side, the Malmstrom Spouses Club is also deeply committed to service. Its thrift shop serves as the main source of charitable funding, with profits supporting scholarships and nonprofit programs both on base and in the Great Falls community.
“Everything we make from the thrift store either goes back to our scholarship or different charitable giving,” President Ward said.
In the past year alone, the club donated $35,000 to causes such as the 56 Alliance and the First Sergeants Council, which partners with the club on its beloved annual Cookie Drive. That same Cookie Drive is one of Malmstrom’s favorite holiday traditions.
“The Cookie Drive is definitely my favorite,” Ward said.
Every year, club members and volunteers deliver homemade cookies, about 650 bags, to airmen living in the dorms. Each bag includes decorated notes from local students and contributions from community partners like First Liberty and MAC. For many, it’s the highlight of the year! A simple but powerful reminder of home and appreciation.
How Does the Scholarship Program Support Families?
One of the Malmstrom Spouses Club’s most impactful traditions is its annual scholarship program. This event has been a longstanding effort, and since last year has marked its 34th year of success, to support military-affiliated students and spouses pursuing higher education.
“The scholarship program has been around forever,” Ward said.
Funded primarily through proceeds from the base thrift store and the club’s annual charity auction, the program continues to make a tangible difference for families connected to Malmstrom Air Force Base.
The scholarships are open to active-duty dependents, spouses, retirees’ dependents, and anyone with ties to Malmstrom. Applications are posted on the club’s website and shared through local schools and social media channels. A volunteer scholarship committee reviews each application blindly, ensuring fairness and focus on merit and need. Depending on available funds, recipients can earn up to $5,000 each.
Last year, the club awarded scholarships to 13 recipients, honoring their achievements at an annual recognition dinner.
“Every year it gets a little better,” Ward said.
How Did the Club Begin?
Rewinding back to the past and history of the group…The Malmstrom Spouses Club wasn’t always one united program, but began as two separate ones.
“Traditionally there was an officers and an enlisted club,” Ward explained.
One for officers and one for enlisted families. Since then, the organization has grown into a unified network. But in the end, their values have always been the same. They want to build community. They want to offer emotional, social, and practical support while also strengthening ties between the base and Great Falls. Leaders describe it as a place where laughter and service go hand in hand serving as a reminder that no one has to face military life alone.
Why Does the Club Continue to Matter Today?
Rooted in tradition and driven by connection, the Malmstrom Spouses Club continues to prove that when families come together, they create something far stronger than community…they create family.
“I joined thinking it wasn’t for me…and now I’m vice president. And I find so much value in this club–it really changed my perspective and my connection to base life,” Vice President King said.
