Bringing a ‘taste of home’ to Minot AFB airmen

MINOT, N.D. – It’s a time of joy and a time for giving.

Organizers of the annual Airmen Cookie Drive at Minot Air Force Base are getting ready for this year’s event when hundreds of homebaked cookies are collected in the Minot community and then packaged on base to give to first-term airmen.

Carri Walters, spouse of 5th Bomb Wing Commander Col. Michael O. Walters, responded to questions this week from The Minot Daily News about the cookie drive and its organizers.

Walters, along with Tonya Menuey, spouse of 91st Missile Wing Commander Col. Christopher E. Menuey, and senior leader spouses are coordinating the annual Airmen Cookie Drive.

Carri Walters said the cookie drive for first-term airmen is “a wonderful Air Force tradition.” She said Tonya Menuey has been involved in similar projects to provide cookies to the Missile Alert Facilities. Walters has been part of cookie drives at multiple Air Force bases including helping coordinate the first ever Cookie Drive at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for deployed airmen overseas.

“Receiving a bag of homemade cookies during the holidays is always appreciated by our airmen. The thoughtful gesture represents family and community and brings us together even during challenging times,” Walters said.

She said the cookies for Minot AFB airmen will be assembled by spouse volunteers into bags and then distributed by the base’s First Sergeants to the first-term airmen.

There are nearly 1,200 first-term airmen who live in base dormitories, according to information provided by the Minot Area Chamber of Commerce. For many of them this will be the first time they have been away from their families for Christmas and the New Year’s season.

Walters said anyone who is interested in baking cookies can help with the project.

“We are so grateful for every cookie donated and every person that assists in this effort,” she said. “This project is only successful due to the tremendous support and cookie donations that we receive from the Minot community along with our Minot AFB spouse volunteers and First Sergeants.”

Randy Hauck, chairman of the Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, in a story published in Monday’s edition of The Minot Daily News, urged local individuals, businesses and organizations to participate in the Airmen Cookie Drive by donating homebaked cookies.

He said the overall goal between the base and downtown is 1,200 dozen cookies, which means one dozen homemade cookies per person for the first-term airmen.

Walters said the cookie drop off times and locations are as follows:

– Minot Area Chamber of Commerce office at 1020 20th Ave. SW. The drop-off dates and times are Dec. 7-8 from 9 a.m to 4 p.m.

– Northern Lights Chapel at Minot AFB. The drop-off dates and times are Dec. 8 from 7-10 a.m. and 4-6 p.m., and Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Walters said the cookies will be delivered by First Sergeants to airmen on Thursday, Dec. 10.

“We appreciate the support that the Minot community gives to the airmen stationed at Minot AFB every year during our annual Cookie Drive. For many of our airmen, this is the first time to be away from home during the holidays and the bag of cookies is like a taste of home.”

Bringing a ‘taste of home’ to Minot AFB airmen

Follow us on Google News

Follow us on Flipboard

Trending Slider

NDHP troopers respond to wrong-way DUI crash, say a “split-second and another driver’s quick reaction” prevented a potentially much more serious outcome

North Dakota Highway Patrol cites driver speeding over twice the limit, who said they were speeding because they were trying to get to a store before it closed

North Dakota Gov. Armstrong joins President Trump to launch a historic chapter in the state’s ties to the nation’s 26th president by opening Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

Bismarck Airport welcomes President Donald Trump during inaugural flight of new Air Force One

Bismarck reminds residents of free downtown parking as new construction project begins

Bismarck Police Department Youth Bureau partners with Dream Center Bismarck for day of service

Follow us on News Break

Categories

Bringing a ‘taste of home’ to Minot AFB airmen

Related posts

North Dakota reports one additional COVID-19 death, 117 positive cases

Bismarck Airport marked veteran departures and prepares for next flights to Washington, D.C. memorials

Bismarck partners with Keep North Dakota Clean for annual artwork and media contest

Statewide Effort to Combat Drunk Driving with Extra Patrols This Holiday Season

Bismarck launches interactive story map to engage public on land development code update

East Century Avenue reconstruction project advances with paving and traffic shifts ahead of school year

Follow us on Google News

Follow us on Flipboard

NDHP troopers respond to wrong-way DUI crash, say a “split-second and another driver’s quick reaction” prevented a potentially much more serious outcome

North Dakota Highway Patrol cites driver speeding over twice the limit, who said they were speeding because they were trying to get to a store before it closed

North Dakota Gov. Armstrong joins President Trump to launch a historic chapter in the state’s ties to the nation’s 26th president by opening Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

Bismarck Airport welcomes President Donald Trump during inaugural flight of new Air Force One

Bismarck reminds residents of free downtown parking as new construction project begins

Bismarck Police Department Youth Bureau partners with Dream Center Bismarck for day of service