Patriotic Youngster Surprises Soldier with Christmas Cookies

Healthy Living

During the holiday season you hear over and over again that it's better to give than to receive. While this saying is sweet, I know I use it to clear my super-selfish conscience (maybe others do too?) - because seriously, who doesn't getting love presents? But reddit user slayfire122 may have just convinced me to never ask for anything again … starting next year.

Slayfire122 is Charles, a Crew Chief General Mechanic for the C-5 Galaxy Aircraft at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. After returning to his dorm room at the end of his shift he found a surprise package sitting atop his military corner-made bed.

The box was filled with cookies and a note was attached to the top from a local elementary school kid.

The card reads:
Dear Soldier,
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thank you for ceping us safe.
Sincerely,
Dalt<3n

Charles writes that the present brought a tear to his eye, especially because he won't be home for Christmas this year.

But Charles wasn't the only airman to receive a sweet surprise. Operation Cookie Drop is a Travis Air Force Base holiday tradition that gathers volunteers in the community to provide hundreds of boxes of treats wrapped in ribbon to the 900 single airmen that live in the base's dorms.

Last Thursday morning, about 950 dozen cookies were dropped off at the base by volunteers. Then, a second round of volunteers sorted the 10,000 cookies into boxes, making sure to provide the airmen with a variety of flavors from chocolate chip and oatmeal to sugar and frosted. Next, while the soldiers are out of their rooms ,First Sergeants deliver the homemade delicacies to the airmen and women, some who are away from home for the holidays for the first time.

"It's very important to make a connection between the community and the troops because we are their families when they're not at home," Jennifer Castilllo, Center Manager at Travis AFB, tells Yahoo Shine. "It's a beautiful surprise for the people who are new to the base."