Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zoie Rider

Cookies packaged by volunteers during the Airmen Cookie Drive wait to be picked up and passed out by First Sergeants, Dec. 6, 2018, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The Luke community came together to donate more than 15,000 homemade and store-bought cookies to spread some love and holiday cheer with unaccompanied Airmen living in the dorms.

The Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Spouses Club is providing dorm residents with a taste of the holidays during the annual Airmen Cookie Drive.

The Luke Spouses Club hosted a Cookie Drive Dec. 5-6, 2018, to spread some love and holiday cheer with the unaccompanied Airmen living in the dorms. The Luke community came together to donate over 1,300 dozen homemade and store-bought cookies.

“The Cookie Drive is for the Airmen in the dorms who usually just left home or this is their first Christmas away from their friends and family,” said Donna Sylvester, Luke Spouses Club advisor. “It’s a good way to show our love and appreciation for all the hard work and dedication our Airmen exhibit on a day to day basis.”

Families from around the Luke community, various churches and the Pebblecreek community baked cookies and volunteered to distribute them to show their support for our Thunderbolts.

“It brings the Luke AFB community and the local community together to do something great for our active duty Airmen,” said Chris Wendell, Luke Spouses Club President. “I’ve talked to many Airmen and they love getting the cookies and knowing that they are being thought about.”

Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zoie Rider

Members of the Luke Spouses Club package cookies during the Airmen Cookie Drive, Dec. 6, 2018, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Volunteers spent more than three hours packaging individual bags of cookies ranging from traditional sugar and chocolate chip cookies to ornately decorated cut-out cookies.

Volunteers spent hours packaging individual bags of various cookies for the dorm residents. The sweet treats ranged from traditional sugar and chocolate chip cookies to ornately-decorated cut-out cookies.

“The volunteers get an opportunity to show how much they really appreciate the Airmen and everything they do and the Airmen get to feel a sense of family and appreciation even though they may be far away from their own families,” said Sylvester.

Once the cookies were packaged up, respective First Sergeants picked up the cookies and hand-delivered the gifts to the Airmen’s dorm rooms.

“The First Sergeants are participating in the Cookie Drive to show our support for the Airmen who are currently living in the dorms,” said Master Sgt. Joshua Dinger, 56th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies First Sergeant. “Members in the dorms tend to be forgotten about during this time of year, and as First Sergeants we are responsible for the morale and welfare of everyone in our units.  This event shows our Airmen know we are always thinking of them and they have a family away from home.”
 

Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zoie Rider

Master Sgt. Joshua Dinger, 56th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies First Sergeant, delivers cookies to a dorm resident, Dec. 6, 2018, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. First Sergeants participated in the Cookie Drive to show support for the Airmen who are currently living in the dorms and let them know that they are being thought of during the holidays.

Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zoie Rider

Members of the Luke Spouses Club attach hand written cards to bags of cookies, Dec. 6, 2018, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Once the cookies were packaged, respective First Sergeants picked up the cookies and hand-delivered the gifts to the Airmen’s dorm rooms.