2009

New Project for our Holiday Cheer boxes:

Abbie shows a sample wreath she made to packers at the September 1st packing.

She used approximately 1 1/2 lbs of pick-a-mix type candies, starlite mints, tootsie rolls, etc. Per Abbie her wreath took about 45 minutes to complete.

Click here for wreath directions

July Packing (7/28) - Photos by Diane Sedlak:

Prepackers have readied the boxes with magazines, greeting cards and plastic grocery bags filled with snacks, comfort items and tube socks.

The cookies are counted and ready to pack:

Each 8 foot table holds approximately 100 dozen cookies!

Packers select 20 bags of cookies for each box. They take to a table and pack a layer of 10 bags cushioning with a pair of tube socks in the corner and comfort items (jerkey, candy, cards, etc.)

The second layers of cookies are addeded with more "cushioning" comfort items.

September 1st packing:

We're sure the letters and will bring smiles

to the faces of this cookie box recipient.

Gail Kenkel's 5th grade Bloomer students

wrote letters and created cards.

In the lower left hand corner notice the index card tied to the cookie package. Judy Heithoff's Edison 2nd grade students drew pictures and wrote notes on the reverse. Baker Judy then tied a card to her cookie package.

Both Judy and Gail put the school's mailing address on the cards and letters. Students are thrilled when they receive a response back.

July Prepacking (7/27):

Building the boxes - one of the tasks of the prepackers.

Lots of paper tasks - custom forms are manually

prepared in advance. Mailing labels are generated and associated with the custom forms.

Working on letters

Making up small bags of cotton balls, Q-tips, bandaids, etc.

Adding the first layer of

shredding over magazines and greeting cards.

Portion of the trunk load of items collected by the Harmony Court Residents!

They also collected $155.00 and donated $20.00 in postage stamps

A Patriotic Theme for the June packing:

Thanks to Mary Cupps' St. Roberts Kids Team for their hand made cards

Thanks to the Northeast Sodbusters 4-H Club for baking and delivering 390 cookies!

The packing begins!

Many bakers help the packing go quickly!

Special red, white and blue cards, beads and wrapped candy went into each box of cookies

Black Hawk Tables Display:

Iowa Cookie Crumb display at the Iowa Black Hawk home opener.

We've compiled binders with letters from the troops, brochures, and a sample cookie box for game attendees to view.

Thanks to Carol & Erik Seliak for staffing the first game.

May 26th Packing:

Thanks to Don Hutcheson for the these photos

Prepacking April 27:

Michelle Annunson and daughter Abbie (L.) drove from Missouri Valley (which they do monthly) to deliver cookies, comfort items and pre-pack.

Troops were treated to Easter themed boxes in March:

57 boxes containing 6,840 cookies were sent on March 24th.

Contents included hand-made cards created by the early morning seminary high school students taught by Miriam Beck. Lots of easter candy donated by our bakers and candy filled easter eggs.

Our thanks to the three girl scout troops who filled 475 plastic easter eggs with candy!!

Girl Scout Cadettes of Troop 377: Anglea Sellers, Rebecca Barker, Jordan Brittain, Kaitlyn Donner, Pheadra Garmann, Ronette Bruner, and Taylor Underwood filled approximately 250 eggs. Per Leader Suzie Bruner the girls had a great time!

Junior Troop 274

Abaigh Plummer, Calire

Neal, Allyssa Ladd, and

Kayla Thomas also

looked like they were

having fun!

Jennifer Plummer is their

Troop Leader.

Abaigh is also a student

in Mrs. Kenkel's class at Bloomer school who

writes regularly to the

troops. See Letters

Troop 126 is led by LisaSpidell and Adult Volunteer Ann Benson.

Front row from left,

Rebecca Abalos,

Abbi Standard.

Back row from left,

Adrien Potter,

Rylee Spidell

Kirn Junior High Bakers:

Libby Burgher, Jordan Hyde, and Stephanie Brockman have been going to school early to bake cookies for the troops along with Samantha Pike and Ellie Krabbe (below).

Our thanks to their teachers Barb Demory and Debbie Gordon for coordinating the baking!

And thanks to Sue

Hiller and General Mills for donating cookie mixes for the students to use!

St. Patrick's Day was our theme for our February 24th packing:

65 boxes containing 9,660 cookies were sent

The notecard with the pipe cleaner handle was made by baker Margie Espelund and a neighbor, Michael Wailes.

Used decks of cards are donated by Molly Gordon of Harrah's Casinos.

We don't usually have colored shredded paper but it made a festive box!

Prepacking (2/23): Boxes are buildt - snack/comfort bags filled:

February 24th Packing (Photos by Don Hutcheson)

A special "Valentine Survival Kit" was made by Mr. Gentile's Kirn Junior High Students and enclosed in each box in the January 27th packing:

Cody Espelund reviews paper work with Abbie Crawford for his Eagle Scout documentation.

Cody obtained donations for cookie ingredients and with some friends baked 75 dozen cookies which were brought to our January 27th packing.

He also collected postage contributions, 50 pairs of tube socks and other comfort items.

January 27th Packing:

8,520 cookies packed in 69 boxes