Annual cookie drive delivers nearly 3,000 treats to Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Elora J. Martinez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The holiday season is a great time to get together and celebrate with family, especially for Airmen who haven’t been home in months, but the truth is not everyone is fortunate enough to do so.

The Airmen in the dorms who have to or choose to stay on base during the month of December received a sweet surprise on Monday, Dec. 4 from a group of generous bakers willing to share the love.

“Getting something home-baked, I think that can make their day,” said Nicole Lindgren, one of the base’s Spouses Club members. “I wanted them to have something to make them feel loved by the community and base,”

Lindgren has participated in the cookie drive the last two years, but outdid herself this year by setting a personal record. She baked nearly 500 cookies for the drive, starting four days early in order to successfully achieve her massive goal.

In addition to the 41-dozen cookies she baked, Lindgren reached out to the community asking for donations. Her efforts reaped just over 150-dozen other mixed treats given to her by members of the local area who wanted to give back to the military during the holidays.

“Go big or go home,” Lindgren said. “I wanted to make sure everyone gets some.”

Members of the base’s Spouses Club collectively baked and donated upwards of 3,000 cookies for the drive this year so they could provide Airmen in the dorms a full plate of fresh, home-cooked sweets in hopes to increase espirit de corps and morale.

There were so many cookies and treats donated this year in fact, there were enough to give trays full to some of the squadrons on base to include the 319th Security Forces Squadron, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron, 319th Medical Group and 69th Reconnaissance Group.

Efforts of the many volunteers did not go unappreciated by the Airmen, who each got a plate full of mixed goods which included not only cookies, but fudge, popcorn balls, caramel or chocolate-covered pretzels.

“It’s nice to know people care about us,” said Airman 1st Class Jonathan Simmons, pest management apprentice with the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron. “We know we’re not alone and that there are people who are rooting for us and thankful for what we do for the country.”