Cookie drive sweetens Airmen holidays

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Anania Tekurio
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  In a matter of hours, the Enlisted Spouse's club and numerous volunteers flooded the dormitory halls bringing the sweet aroma of holiday cookies - sugary snickerdoodle, peppermint and gingerbread filling the air - in hopes of making the Airmen's time away from home a little sweeter.

By providing warm, delicious treats, the cookie drive helps bring Airmen residing in the dorms a sense of family and togetherness during the holidays.

"We've received over 4,000 cookies," said Jenn Swain, Enlisted Spouse's Club president and wife of Senior Master Sgt. Scott Swain, 28th Logistics Readiness Squadron in-flight chief.  "We hope the cookies will bring a bit of the holiday spirit to Airmen who will be away from home this season."

A lot of hard work goes into baking, wrapping and delivering thousands of cookies, aimed at taking care of Ellsworth Airmen especially during the holiday season. The volunteers wasted no time delivering dozens of cookies.

"I've donated cookies yearly," Sarah Sheffield, wife of Lt. Col. Joseph Sheffield, 37th Bomb Squadron commander, said. "This is my first year bringing my children along to help bag the cookies - I think it's a fun way for us to give holiday cheer to others, especially the young Airmen."

The Chapel Activity Center started accepting donations Dec. 15, and more than 15 volunteers helped assemble the 600 of bags of cookies to be delivered Dec. 16. The first sergeants distributed 4,000 cookies to the dorms ensuring everyone received Christmas treats.

"The cookie drive is awesome," Airman 1st Class Michael Anderson, 28th Maintenance Group wing scheduler, said. "It's nice to know people care especially during the holidays."