Drive aims 9,600 cookies for Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Julius Delos Reyes
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  In the spirit of the yuletide season, the Aviano Officers and Civilian Spouses' Club is playing the role of Santa Claus' elves, churning out gifts of cookies for the 12th annual Airmen Cookie Drive Nov. 29 and 30.

The drive aims to give 9,600 cookies to more than 700 Airmen living in the base dormitories. Additional cookies will be donated to Operation Yellow Ribbon, the 31st Security Forces Squadron Airmen at the gates and the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department.

"We have so many Airmen who work through the holidays and are not able to spend time with their families and friends," said Lola Edwards, AOCSC special projects coordinator. "The annual cookie drive is an example of our support to the Airmen on our base."

With this huge amount of cookies, the AOCSC is looking for volunteers to help bake, bag, collect and count cookies 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 29 and 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 30 at La Bella Vista Club. Cookies and cookie dough can also be dropped off at the club 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 29 and 7:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 30.

"We have been fortunate to receive a lot of e-mails from military members who want to come out and volunteer, which is amazing because it will not be successful without them," Mrs. Edwards said. "We will take anybody who walks in and wants to help. We will need as many volunteers as we can get."

Through word of mouth, networking and social media, the AOCSC also received cookie mix from California, Arizona, New York, and companies that want to support Aviano servicemembers.

"This is amazing," Mrs. Edwards said. "We probably have about 58 bags of cookie mix. It was great to receive support from the states."

In addition to AOCSC member, the Aviano Civilian Enlisted Spouses Club is also providing a team of volunteers for the cookie drive. The AOCSC also enlisted the help of the Aviano elementary school students who created decorative cards for the cookie packages. The organization received another 200 cards from an elementary school in Iowa as well as from family members on base.

"I am just hoping that this will help Airmen with having a nice holiday being away from their families and friends back in the states," Mrs. Edwards said. "I know that for some, it's probably their first time being away from home. I think it's important for us to show the Airmen that we support them in everything they do for the base and it is important to show our gratitude."