It is never too early to start planning for the holidays or to think about ways to help others. For the second consecutive year, Team McChord's Operation Cookie Drop will continue to spread holiday cheer for airmen living at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.  Operation Cookie Drop is a program that collects homemade cookies from anyone willing to bake and distributes them to airmen living in the dormitories on McChord Field.  Last year, Operation Cookie Drop set a goal of distributing 6,000 cookies - but the event was so well received by the public that it was able to deliver more than 11,000.

Operation Cookie Drop is an event that had been a favorite around the holidays until a few years ago, when it was discontinued due to lack of help. That is, until Chika Kosinski and her husband, Col. Leonard Kosinski, Commander, 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord Field, moved to the base last year. She was eager to revive the event and proved that once again, Operation Cookie Drop could be a successful partnership between the military and the surrounding community.

Mrs. Kosinksi has teamed up with Carlene Joseph of Harborstone Credit Union again this year to continue this well-received tradition. With the help of military spouses, outside communities and military personnel, they hope to package up more homemade goodies to distribute. Operation Cookie Drop has already received several sponsors from local businesses including the US Family Health Plan - Pacific Medical Centers, Girl Scouts troops, Boeing, and Dhane Orthodontics, just to name a few.

"This event brings military families, local businesses and communities together to support Team McChord," Mrs. Kosinski said.

The success of last year's event not only brought smiles to several airmen's faces but it also proved that many people are willing to give back to those who serve. The holidays can be a tough time for those who are unable to travel home to be with family. For many airmen, it may even be the first time they have been away from home during the holiday season. Having cookies delivered will certainly bring some holiday cheer.

The public is invited to bake cookies to donate to Operation Cookie Drop again this year. "I did not realize how our local community was so eager to support us until the event last year," Mrs. Kosinski said. "Team McChord cannot exist without them!"

She recognizes that this event is so much more than cookies. For her, it is about keeping a beloved holiday tradition going that strengthens the bond between servicemembers and the community.

Operation Cookie Drop will accept baked goods Thursday, Dec. 8, at the McChord Chapel Support Center, 746 Col. Joe Jackson Blvd. on McChord Field, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, email: teammchordcookiedrop@outlook.com.