There’s no better way to embrace the holiday spirit then giving back to those who need it most. Cookies and Cans is a heartwarming event held every year to give back to the soldiers protecting our country.
About ten years ago, Council Woman Debbie Meehan created Cookies and Cans. In order to help Colonia’s very own troops. The idea of Cookies and Cans blossomed from her home town hero page in the Colonia Corner. The home town hero page started shortly after 9/11, when mothers looking for their sons to be remembered wrote to Meehan. Along with the hometown heroes page, Cookies and Cans lets the soldiers know they are remembered and loved in Colonia.
First, Cookies and Cans started as a cookie swap. It was supposed to be a fun event where anyone could bring two dozen cookies and take two dozen home. But our generous community never ends up taking cookies home. All the delicious homemade cookies make their way to hungry troops.
Children all over personally donate their Halloween candy to the troops as well. Holiday cards are handmade by elementary and middle school students around wood bridge township. In addition to those cards, the teens volunteering write beautiful messages in their cards to the troops. These cards show our pride, respect, and care for the men and woman half way across the globe protecting us. Hopefully they bring a smile to the face of someone in despair.
Filling bags of food for families in need, volunteers add cans of delicious holiday meals.
Along with helping the troops, families in need of toys and can goods receive generous donations to help them through out the holiday season.
Children and teens of varying ages come to Cookies and Cans looking to participate in a kind holiday gesture. The great part about the event is the kids receive community service, doing something they love. There are even kids who comeback every year to support the troops. They have seen the event grow and change, making it a beautiful holiday tradition for them.
The process of Cookies and Cans starts with two tiny gloves, one for each lending hand a volunteer offers. Cookies of all shapes and sizes are spread out on a huge table. The volunteers sort the many different cookies into their personal containers. Then the cookies are placed in a huge brown box, along with the many other containers made by volunteers.
Beautiful and heartfelt hand made cards join the cookies. Filling the cracks are the pounds of candy leaving no space unfilled. Wrapped and sent off to the solders the boxes are a beacon of hope.
Volunteers Amanda Kavaja and Maria Brock make cards for the troops at Cookies and Cans
After speaking to some of the volunteers from Colonia high, it is understood that this event means as much to them as it does to the soldiers. Amanda Kavaja voiced her favorite part about the event.”My Favorite part is writing the Christmas cards. My grandpa was in the military and I know he would have loved to receive a card written to him by a loving boy or girl.”
Volunteers Maria Brock and Ally Poulakowski explain their emotions concerning cookies and cans.“It feels amazing making someone smile as they go through rough times. Majority of the soldiers may have trouble smiling in their situation so just making them smile for a small minute is worth while,” expressed Maria Brock. Ally Poulakowski talks about what opening this box means to each troop. “This box means so much more to the soldiers then we could imagine. I am just glad knowing that I am bringing someone joy. If this event makes them happy then it makes me happy too!”
“This is my first year coming to cookies and cans. My friends recently introduced me to the event. You don’t often get the opportunity to genuinely help someone. I am expecting to see a whole lot of people giving and helping others in their time of need.” Stated Emily Anan.
Founder Debbie Meehans favorite part about Cookies and Cans is “seeing the kids work and be part of the community. The kids come and they leave different, they leave really happy knowing they have done something nice. Reaching out to a soldier through a card, I just think its really beautiful when the community comes together to take care of each other.”
This beautiful event has in fact touched grateful soldiers, and as a result when they finally return home we get to hear their stories. Accompanying Debbie Meehan, they have entered our schools and thanked the students for making such creative cards. These troops are so grateful and love sharing their appreciation with the wonderful children who wrote the cards and packed the boxes.
One must wonder if opening up these boxes bring the soldiers as much joy as a child opening a present on Christmas morning. When asked this question Mrs. Meehan replied. “ I think it means more. The Child has a million toys around them. They have their mom and dad with them, everyone who cares about them. These soldiers are in a far away country away from the people they love. When they open up a card from a small child that says thank you and we’re so proud of you, it means the world to them. Its like the entirety of Christmas that they missed in one box. Every child loves toy but they have everything they need on Christmas. All the soldier has is this box and opening it means so much to them.”
Cookies and Cans is a wonderful event and it is a great way to give back to our community. By helping the troops, the volunteers truly are making a difference.
