Give an Airman a Cookie Published Nov. 29, 2011 By Senior Airman Stephanie Rubi Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Senior spouses from Nellis, Creech, and the Nevada Test and Training Range have come together for the annual Cookie Drive that will be held Dec. 13, 2011, at the base chapel on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The Cookie Drive provides homemade cookies to single Airmen living in the dormitories. Wives of wing commanders, vice wing commanders and command chiefs have been meeting since August to put this event together. In order for the drive to distribute cookies to 860 Airmen, more than 10,000 cookies are needed. The Cookie Drive committee is looking for volunteers to bake these cookies and/or to assist from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 13, 2011, to bag, collect and count cookies. All ages are welcome to help Dec. 13, 2011, including spouses, children, active duty members and retirees. Committee members will set up a drive-up-and-drop-off for cookie donations inside the Nellis Chapel parking lot. Volunteer bakers can drop off donations from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Dec. 13, 2011. Families from Creech AFB that want to donate cookies can drop them off Dec. 12, 2011, at the Creech Airman and Family Readiness Center. "[The Cookie Drive] is an opportunity to give back a little something to our Airmen" said Kelly Ann Thompson, wife of Col. Kenneth Thompson, NTTR commander, and Cookie Drive committee member. "I'm thrilled to be able to do something for the young Airmen who, often times, are away from home for the first time." First sergeants and dormitory managers will deliver the cookies so that, when Airmen arrive home from work, there will be a dozen homemade cookies waiting for them. "Everyone reaches out for this Cookie Drive; it's not just us, it's the different organizations on and off base" said Donna O'Shaughnessy, wife of Brig. Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, and Cookie Drive committee member. "It's amazing, the stories you hear, what people do to make this Cookie Drive happen." For example, students from Lomie Heard Elementary School, the Nellis Youth Center and Hyde Park Middle School are contributing hand-written cards to Airmen, and cadets from the Shadow Ridge High School Air Force Junior ROTC program have volunteered to bake cookies. For more information or to volunteer at the Cookie Drive, contact Donna O'Shaughnessy at nelliscookiedrive@gmail.com.
