MacDill shows dorm Airmen it cares with cookie drop

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sarah Breer
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Airmen who live in the dorms experienced firsthand how much the MacDill Air Force Base community cares for them Dec. 12.

A cookie drop, organized by a committee of the MacDill Military Officer Spouse's Club members and spearheaded by Marta DeThomas, MOSC adviser, took place to give Airmen a taste of home during the holiday season.

After Thanksgiving, the MOSC began asking for Team MacDill to donate cookies to give out to Airmen living in the dorms, said DeThomas. Every year the cookie drop has plenty of donations.

Team MacDill answered the call for cookies in force. Hundreds of cookies in many varieties, shapes and sizes lined tables in MacDill's dining facility as Airmen lined up to fill their bags with baked goods.

Airmen chose as many cookies as they wanted from the wide selection to enjoy for the holidays.

Many military members live far from family and friends. The holiday season can be a lonely one. Part of the purpose of the cookie drop was to show Airmen living in the dorms that, while they are away from home, people still care.

"It is amazing that people take time out of their day to do something for the Airmen in the dorms," said Airman 1st Class Ashley Holimon, 6th Medical Group ophthalmology technician. "A lot of the time we feel neglected. It is the same thing day in and day out for us. It shows the pride people have in us by what they are doing for us in the holiday season and throughout the year. It makes us feel like we are home again, as if our parents just baked us cookies."

Smiles filled the room at the DFAC as Airmen filled their bags and talked with other Airmen, senior Air Force members, members of MOSC and volunteers.

As Airmen left the cookie drop they were given letters from the Tampa community, collected by the Red Cross.

For five years the Florida West Coast Red Cross has been collecting donations of letters from the community to give to military members who are deployed and at their home stations, said Jill Valenti, Florida West Coast Red Cross board member. Community members write to military members. Children write and draw pictures for military members. Groups gather letters from their members to donate.

"One woman starts writing letters at the beginning of the year and writes all year," said Valenti. "When she is finished she brings around three hundred letters to us to give to military members."

Senior Airman James Godsey, 6th Air Mobility Wing fire protection, said he enjoyed being able to gather cookies.

"Cookies are my kryptonite," he said while holding a bag of goodies bursting at the seams.

Events like the cookie drop and letters from community members are an indication of the support the MacDill and Tampa communities have for military members, especially during the holiday season.