Small bags of treats bring joy

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Soo C. Kim
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  After a long day of work, a young Airman returns to her dormitory. The houses she passes are adorned with bright lights put up by families celebrating the coming holiday season. As she climbs up four stories of stairs, the faces of her family members back home come to her mind; she thinks of the people she won't be able to spend the holidays with. At her door, she notices a small bag waiting for her. Her face instantly turns into a smile.

The bag contains cookies, hand-baked by the Yokota community. The 2013 Cookie Crunch officially kicked off at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Dec. 3.

The goal behind Cookie Crunch is to provide single unaccompanied members one-dozen cookies each and share the joys of the holiday season.

"Those who live in dorms, more than often, are away from home for the first time," said Senior Master Sgt. Steven Alford, 374th Maintenance Squadron first sergeant. "This is just a small way to give back to them a little bit of home cooking, especially during the holiday seasons."

Tech. Sgt. Kathy Blake, Yokota Cookie Crunch 2013 chairperson, said the cookie donations this year were generous.

"This year we provided more than 14,000 cookies to a thousand members on Yokota Air Base, including Japan Air Self-Defense Force, of any rank and service," Blake said. "We've had such a tremendous amount of donations; (the Cookie Crunch) will touch even more people this year."

The donated cookies were sorted and packaged by volunteers from the community and hand delivered personally by first sergeants or designated couriers from each unit.

"I didn't expect to see the chief and first sergeants at my door. It surprised me but it was also good to see that they were looking out for the young Airmen like me," said Airman 1st Class Colton Fisher, 374th MXS aerospace propulsion apprentice. "All cookies were gone the moment they handed the bag off to me, they were delicious. I want to thank everyone who participated in this event, showing that they care about us."