Forecasting a sweeter holiday

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Deana Heitzman
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  The Aviano Officers and Civilians Spouses' Club is set to snare the taste buds of Airmen who reside in the dorms during their annual cookie drive, Dec. 8.

The drive serves as a chance for Airmen to indulge in holiday sweets and give them a taste of home while serving overseas.

"This is a good chance for the base to let the Airmen who live in the dorms know we are there for them while they are away from their families," said Trisha Piazza, Aviano Cookie Drive chairman.

The Aviano Community Enlisted Spouses Club, AOCSC, Red Cross, Aviano Elementary School and the Chapel will gather at the La Bella Vista Club in the morning to bake, collect, sort and package cookies for Aviano Airmen. After the cookies are packaged, first sergeants deliver them throughout the dorms.

Last year, more than 100 volunteers baked and collected 9,000 cookies and packaged them for more than 700 dorm Airmen. The excess cookies went to Airmen who worked 24-hour operations, Italian airmen and service members at Camp Darby.

This year the drive plans to surpass last year's cookie count. 

The drive's volunteer participation is a critical asset to the drive's success. Although the LBV is a central hub for the drive, supplies and manpower are all contributed by the volunteers.

"Wing leadership will be involved this year at the drop off locations and it is a fun experience for people to welcome in the holidays," said Piazza.

Volunteers have the chance to drop off their own homemade cookies at the LBV or the Medical Group parking lot between 7 and 9 a.m. Volunteers are also encouraged to bake their best batch and persuade volunteer taste testers for a chance to win a $50 Exchange gift card.

"The drive serves as a morale booster for the Airmen who are receiving the cookies, [and] for those who are volunteering," said Piazza. "This event brings in support from all around the base and kicks off the holiday spirit."

With the holidays commonly associated with family, Team Aviano has organized various events to keep the holidays a family affair. 

The Airmen and Family Readiness Center will host a "Hearts Apart" dinner for families with deployed members to come and embrace the holidays. The event will also have activities for children, to include a visit from Santa.

The Chapel is also hosting a "Warrior Christmas" for single unaccompanied Airmen and soldiers stationed here. This is an opportunity for them to come together for a holiday meal and receive a gift on Christmas day.

"For those who are stationed overseas with their families, they can enjoy the experience together as they create new traditions and enjoy the additional time together," said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Donnette Boyd, 31st Fighter Wing chaplain. "For single and unaccompanied Airmen, the additional time means more time to feel lonely, bored or even depressed as they spend time thinking about home"

Staying resilient throughout the holidays may be hard, but events like the cookie drive, Hearts Apart dinner and Warrior Christmas gives Airman the opportunity to stay emotionally fit throughout the season.