KSC collects more than 12,000 cookies

  • Published
  • By Argen Duncan
  • Nucleus writer

The Kirtland Spouses’ Club rolled past the 10,000-cookie goal of its recent holiday drive, collecting more than 12,000 cookies from the base community.

The KSC ran its annual Team Kirtland Airman Cookie Drive on Monday and Tuesday at the Mountain View Club. Club members and other volunteers collected enough sweets to not only give all 600 Airmen living in base dorms at least a dozen cookies, but also to take extras to several units on base.

“We couldn’t do it without the community,” said KSC Vice President of Events Laura Campbell.

About 35 volunteers, plus a group of homeschool children, worked to collect and bag cookies, she said.

Bakers brought in anywhere from one dozen to 115 dozen cookies apiece, with types ranging from chocolate chip and peanut butter to Dreamsicle and French cookies.

“We have a lot of creative bakers in this community,” said KSC President Frank Capuano.

The Blue Star Mothers military support organization provided holiday cards for every goodie bag, as well as donating cookies, he said.

Sandia Base Elementary School students decorated the paper gift bags for the sweets, even including written messages.

“They’re adorable,” Campbell said.

KSC Vice President of Communications Amber Tracy said the club collected 3,000 more cookies than last year.

By noon Tuesday, volunteers were waiting for first sergeants to pick up bags to deliver them.

Capuano said the cookie drive is a long-standing KSC tradition, even as military life leads to members coming and going.

“Every two years, it’s a completely different spouses’ club,” he said. “It’s easy to lose traditions, but we haven’t lost this one.”

Club members are already compiling a list of best practices to refine the drive next year. The tradition aims to show young, single Airmen that they aren’t alone over the holidays.