That’s a lot of cookies, and they’ve all come from the initiative of Jeanette Cram and her “crumbs,” a corps of volunteer of bakers and helpers. Why did they bake all those cookies? To send to soldiers serving on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Through the Treat The Troops program, Cram has created a nationwide network to fulfill cookie requests made by and for deployed American soldiers living on the fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Treat The Troops’ Mission Statement explains that “‘Treat The Troops’ does not take a position on whether or not our troops should be in the country to which they are deployed.” Rather, the main goal is to remind soldiers of home and to show appreciation for their service, and the simple comfort of cookies can do that. Treat The Troops has several different volunteer opportunities, from organizing baking to procuring donated supplies to helping maintain the website.
Want to send cookies to a soldier you know? Jeanette has great tips for sending cookies to the troops. Wouldn’t this be a great way to do something meaningful next Monday on Memorial Day?
In a hurry and want to make great tasting, soft cookies, Jeanette recommends using “cake mix” cookie recipes. Here are a few tried and true ones from Betty Crocker.
Mix-Easy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Quick-Mix Chocolate Cookies