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Annual Cookie Drive

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Emily Chilson
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  With the holiday season in full swing, Shaw AFB and the Sumter community sent cheer to deployed servicemembers through the Annual Cookie Drive. This year, more than 47,000 cookies were donated. 

The Annual Cookie Drive is made possible by the combined efforts of a six person committee - members of the Enlisted and Officers' Spouses Clubs - as well as volunteers from the Shaw community. 

"This is the event that touches the most lives because of the involvement of the local community - both those who give and those who receive," said Valerie Van der Veer, co-chair of the 2008 Annual Cookie Drive committee. 

For the sixteenth year, Sumter House collected cookies from Sumter churches and schools through the competition 'Shower Shaw with Cookies.' Students competed against each other by trying to donate the most cookies. 

Children from local schools and churches made Christmas Cards as well and decorated more than 1,000 brown paper sacks donated by the Shaw AFB Commissary.
"The Commissary donated all our supplies - the plastic bags and gloves too - they're rock stars," said Mrs. Van der Veer. 

Three flights from Airmen Leadership School gathered at the Shaw Community Center to pack the decorated sacks with cookies and a Christmas card before they were boxed up to ship overseas. About 1,000 cookie sacks were delivered to Airmen who live in the dorms on base. 

"It took a whole bread truck to haul the cookies from Sumter House to Shaw," said Mags Dearduff, co-chair of the 2008 Annual Cookie Drive. 

The cookies and handmade cards will mean a lot to members of Team Shaw who won't be home for the holidays.