Cookie crumbles the right way for Holloman Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Siuta B. Ika
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Dorm residents were on the receiving end of a sweet surprise delivered directly to their rooms Dec. 13 by their First Sergeants.

Members of the local community, as well as Team Holloman members and residents, have been gathering cookies since Dec. 6 as part of the Airman Cookie Drive.

More than 1,400 dozen cookies were collected -- 800 dozen more than the drive's goal of 600 dozen.

"We were hoping to provide one dozen for each Airman living in the dorms," said Mrs. Lisa Krumm, organizer of the event and wife of Col. David Krumm, 49th Wing commander. "As it turned out we have enough to give every Airman two dozen and have a couple hundred dozen cookies left over."

All the cookies collected during the drive were taken to the commissary for final "processing" before going out to the dorm residents.

"We put the cookies on a Styrofoam platter and sent it back to be wrapped in cellophane to protect and keep them clean," said Mrs. Krumm.

For a final touch, the cookie package had a ribbon tied around them with a candy cane and a holiday card made by a Holloman Elementary or Middle School student. Once packaged, the cookies were loaded and hand-delivered to dorm residents.

Even though almost 17,000 cookies needed to be "processed," the volunteers prepped and packaged them in a timely and efficient manner.

"I've been involved in other cookie drives, but this the largest cookie drive I've ever been a part of," said Pamela Peterson, a volunteer and cookie processor. "The drive was amazing."

As for the Airmen, they were truly surprised by the cookie-packaged gifts.

"When I saw the First Shirts at my room, I thought maybe I was in trouble because my room's not that clean right now," said Airman 1st Class Zachary Deaver, 849 AMXS crew chief. "I was shocked (to see the cookies) to say the least. It was a pleasant surprise though."

Mrs. Krumm said she would like to thank all of the volunteers who came out to help, the First Sergeants, the students at the Holloman schools who made the holiday cards, the local community for supporting and giving to the drive, the base Chapel, the commissary for coming in on their day off, and their vendors for donating the supplies for packing.

She also expressed her gratitude to the Airmen themselves for all they do throughout the year.

"I hope they have a wonderful holiday season and we are grateful for their sacrifices," said Mrs. Krumm. "I know it can be difficult being apart from your family this time of the year and I want them to feel like a part of our family this year."

For more information on Holloman events, check out the calendar of events on the Holloman Web site at www.holloman.af.mil.