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Tis' the Season for 27,000 cookies

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lauren Main
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  Hand-dipped chocolate pistachio bars, ginger reindeer snaps and double chocolate chip-chunk cookies, all fresh out of the oven, were only a few of the varieties of treats being given away.

The cookies were donated by squadrons, Airmen, spouses and Friends of Hickam for this year's annual Cookie Caper event Dec. 9.

The event was in full swing by 6 a.m., as colorful, hand-decorated paper bags began to line the walls and floors of the Daedalion Room at the Hickam Officer's Club. Boxes of freshly-baked, homemade cookies flooded in from a line of donors outside.

By 9 a.m., 1,300 dozen cookies had already been bagged and more were still waiting.
During the Cookie Caper, held the second week of December, volunteers deliver a bag of one-dozen cookies to each of the Airmen residing in the dormitories and to the single Airmen who live off base.

"We will definitely have more than enough cookies to go around," said Kelly Barrett, spouse of Col. Sam Barrett, 15th Wing commander. "Thanks to Friends of Hickam, we have three-times the amount of cookies that we had last year."

More than 40 squadrons around the base also contributed to the event by bringing in more than 600 dozen cookies. However, this year was the first time Hickam has ever partnered with an outside organization to bring in donations for the Cookie Caper.

"Our mission is to serve the Airmen," said Gwen Omori, Friends of Hickam president. Mrs. Omori baked three-dozen cookies herself and picked up more than 780 dozen cookies which were baked by other members of Friends of Hickam.

According to Mrs. Barrett, all additional cookies left over after the dormitory residents and single Airmen receive their bags will be given to families of Airmen and to the squadrons to send out to their deployed personnel for the holidays. This year was also the first year the Hawaii Air National Guard has been included on the Cookie Caper's distribution list.

Master Sgt. Wesley Matthews, 15th Medical Group first sergeant, "went above and beyond the call of duty" to share the holiday spirit with Airmen. Sergeant Matthews delivered bags of cookies to the Airmen in the dorms as well as miniature Christmas trees and a stuffed animal to go underneath.

"Even now, after Christmas, I'll go back out and buy trees for the next year," he said. "I bought all of these last year, not knowing how many I'd need, but knowing I was going to take care of my Airmen."

Volunteers shared the same feelings about the event; it is all about the Airmen and bringing home to those who can't be with their loved ones for the holidays.

"The great thing about the Christmas Cookie Caper is that it lets our Airmen who are not going to be home for the holidays know that they are not forgotten and that they are part of our Air Force family," said Col. Robie Hughes, 15th MDG commander.