MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- Volunteers are the heart of the Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society and MCLB Barstow has only a few volunteers in its ranks to continue the society's mission of 'taking care of our own.'Anyone connected to the Navy and/or Marine Corps is familiar with the annual Navy/Marine Corps Relief campaign. Most donate to the cause and some take a more active stance by sponsoring activities to promote the campaign. However, other than the Marines, Sailors and their families who look to the society in their time of need few give any thought to it until the next campaign season begins anew.The MCLB Barstow Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society is a non-profit organization consisting solely of volunteers donating their time and energies to providing supportive services to the nearly 300 Marines and Sailors stationed here.Services ranging from crisis relief and loans to providing Baby Sea Bags and financial counseling to families preparing for their tiny, new additions are all made possible by volunteers. The society exists only to assist Sailors and Marines. But because the volunteers to man the society are in short supply, the assistance may not be readily available when service members and their families need them most, according to long-time N/MCRS volunteer Pearl Brewer."Once, there were plenty of volunteers," recalled Brewer, "but we sure do need them now. Traditionally, the volunteers who make the society work are military spouses." Brewer, a retired Marine spouse, cites that changes in societal norms and the economy have added to the scarcity of volunteers, creating a downward trend threatening the future of MCLB's N/MCRS Annex. Georgia Powell, N/MCRS volunteer, agreed with Brewer that a number of changes have come about 'outside the gates' and changed the way service members and their families live. Still, there are a lot of military spouses around who can be a part of the solution, according to Powell. Soon, the annex will lose one of its key volunteers and proponents."I am the only active duty spouse working here right now," noted Kathy Costa, N/MCRS volunteer. When Col. Mark A. Costa, base commander, takes his next command this fall, the only remaining volunteers will be the spouses of retired service members who are faithful to the notion of 'taking care of our own.'""This base has a very good [campaign] program," said Costa. "We especially appreciate the efforts of our civilian Marines because they are not eligible to receive the benefits of Navy Relief. The amount of money we generate far exceeds the amount we have given away." Still, MCLB is coming up short on one half of the equation; volunteers."Volunteering with Navy/Marine Corps Relief was what spouses did for a change and to do their part, but that was before having a two income household was such an imperative, said Brewer, who has volunteered her time to the society since 1966."A lot of people don't know that the society provides for four hours of free childcare at the Child Development Center for people willing to volunteer their time," said Brewer. "Everyone needs a little time away from their younglings every know and then. That's why the childcare is provided; to give spouses a release, and the kids can get a little interaction with other children their age."Shirley Sturtevant-Harris and Giovanna Draper are among the volunteers who man the society's thrift store with Brewer and Powell. All agree the society's need for new volunteers is dire, but beyond that, the need for a local N/MCRS annex is an imperative."I like the Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society," said Brewer, " that's why I volunteer. The society, once upon a time, was good to me and I haven't forgotten."