Tasty treats to make their way to soldiers' tummies
Operation Cookie Drop goal is to send goods to local troops overseas
BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer
Home-baked cookies for the upcoming holidays will soon be on their way to military men and women serving overseas.

Ronald G. Davie, past commandant of American Legion T. Nulty Post 471, announced the Operation Cookie Drop program on Oct. 27 with members of the Blue Star Family Readiness Council, American Legion Post 248 in Colonia, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 6061 in Colonia, and Debbie Meehan of the Colonia Corner newspaper.

"This idea for the program came from a meeting of the Blue Star group last month," said Davie, who sits in on the meetings.

Since the Blue Star group started in 2007, it has help members receive nonpassenger boarding passes, where the families can enter the boarding area of an airport with their loved ones without a boarding pass. The group has also helped members obtain phone cards, send care packages and find solutions for what to do when a deployed service member's driver's license has expired.

Davie said one of their local soldiers recently was on leave from his tour in Iraq.

"He told us that during Christmas time they receive a lot of items, but during Thanksgiving not so much," he said. "That is when we started a discussion, and [Operation Cookie Drop] snowballed from there."

People who want to participate are asked to bring their homemade baked cookies and deliver them on Nov. 6 to any of three location spots — the American Legion Post 248 at 806 south Middlesex Ave. in Colonia, the VFW Post 6061 at 606 Inman Ave. in Colonia, and the American Legion T. Nulty Post 471 at 25 Brown Ave. in Iselin.

"These cookies will be sent to local military men and women serving overseas," said Davie.

Councilwoman at Large Brenda Velasco said the program is important.

"This is a time when the military men and women need us more than ever," she said.

U.S. Navy veteran Robin Goodrich's 24- year-old daughter, Amy Updike, is serving in Iraq as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.

"It feels good for the soldiers to know their community supports them," she said. "It also feels good as a parent to know and see the community's support."

For more information about Operation Cookie Drop, call 732-634-9119.