Volunteers helped pack and deliver thousands of cookies to
Airmen at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph during the fourth annual
JBSA-Randolph holiday cookie drive Dec. 9-11.
The JBSA-Randolph Air Force Sergeants Association and the
502nd Security Forces and Logistics Support Group teamed up to organize this
year’s cookie drive.
Staff Sgt. Nichole Brown, JBSA-Randolph Air Force Sergeants
Association vice president, said volunteers helped pack and deliver 156 bags of
cookies to 100 Airmen.
JBSA-Randolph members dropped off the cookies at the
JBSA-Randolph Chapel kitchen Dec. 9, where volunteers received, packed and
prepared the cookies for delivery. The cookies were delivered to Airmen at the
Single Airmen Dinner Dec. 10 at the Chapel kitchen and on Dec. 11 to Airmen at
their dorms and work buildings, including the Air Force Personnel Center and
the Air Education and Training Command.
Butch Hales, 502nd SFLSG civilian executive officer, said
each bag the Airmen received contained 18 cookies. Also on Dec. 11, Hales said an additional 400
cookies on platters were delivered to Airmen at the flying training school
graduation, the JBSA-Randolph Fire Department and 902nd Security Forces
Squadron.
More than 3,200 cookies were delivered to the Airmen, the
highest number of cookies received and delivered since the holiday cookie drive
began four years ago, Hales said.
In addition to the volunteers, Brown said 25 of the cookie
bags were decorated by children from the JBSA-Randolph Youth Center.
Volunteers who helped out on the holiday cookie drive
included Col. Matthew Isler, 12th Flying Training Wing commander; Mai Lan
Isler; Chief Master Sgt. Troy Palmer, 12th FTW command chief master sergeant;
Col. Michael Gimbrone, 502nd SFLSG commander; Jennifer Gimbrone; and Chief
Master Sgt. Katie McCool, 502nd SFLSG group superintendent.
Gimbrone said this was the second year he has helped out on
the cookie drive since taking command of the 502nd SFLSG in August 2014.
“There are a couple of things that make this event great,”
Gimbrone said. “All of the volunteers who bake and buy the cookies get into the
holiday spirit and are giving back to the base community. This is Airmen and Soldiers
taking care of our own as a community. Also, it helps give Airmen a taste of
home, although they are far away from the families they grew up with.”
Gimbrone said he and 502nd SFLSG leaders started planning
the cookie drive several months ago. Based on the feedback they received from
last year’s event, they made several improvements, including better signage
directing JBSA-Randolph members where to drop off the cookies, better publicity
for the event and getting more volunteers to help out.
Through the cookie drive, McCool said JBSA-Randolph is
taking time to take care of their Airmen.
“No matter how busy we get, it’s important for our Airmen to
understand we are thinking about them during the holiday season,” she said.
Linda Winter, JBSA-Randolph Enlisted Spouses Club vice
president, said this was her first year helping out.
“When my husband was an Airman, he got help from
organizations,” she said. “So I’m paying back.”