by Bea Peterson
How do you get 767 boxes of homemade cookies to servicemen and women in Afghanistan and Turkey for Christmas? With a great deal of advanced planning. Suzanne and Gary Fitzpatrick have the project down to a science now. This is the fourth year they have sent Christmas packages to their son and other men and women with Hoosick Falls ties stationed overseas.
In the first year of Operation Christmas Cookie 321 cookie boxes made their way to soldiers far from home. This year Captain Brian Fitzpatrick is stationed in Turkey. Tyler Smith will receive boxes to distribute as well. He is stationed at Camp Dehadadi, Afghanistan as an Army combat engineer searching for improvised explosive devices. Army Captain Jonathan Hathaway has relatives from the area, and he, too, will receive boxes to distribute. Besides the dozen and a half cookies and fudge packed for each person in their units, the large box contains a Santa hat and letters to the troops from kindergarten and Head Start classes.
Begins In Fall
Suzanne said she starts planning the Operation in September and October. In November she sent out 100 letters requesting homemade cookies. “We had many new people this year,” she said. “At least 150 people were involved.” The information was even posted on the HFCS website. At the same time Suzanne starts collecting packing boxes. Then there is the cookie baking. The pace picks up at packing time. On December 3, about 3 in the afternoon, long tables were set up in the Fitzpatrick house, and cookies were lined up. About 6:30 the packers, made up of family and friends, including Tyler’s mom, Karen, arrived to put cookies in containers and then into 23 packing boxes. Suzanne was finally satisfied everything was done about midnight.
The Hoosick Falls Post Office opened at 8 am Saturday, an hour early, to accommodate mailing 946 pounds of cookies. Suzanne said the cost of postage was covered by Berkshire Hematology Oncology, UA Local #7 Plumbers and Steamfitters and individual contributions. She believes the boxes will reach their destination in 10 to 12 days.
Wide Reach
Bakers and helpers are far reaching. Some are from North Adams and Pittsfield, MA, others from the Albany, NY, area not counting all the local bakers. Fifty individual containers were shipped from Daytona Beach, FL.
Suzanne said the reward comes when her son and the other cookie Santas tell her how much everyone who receives a box appreciates it. This year 767 men and women, stationed far from all they know and love, will receive a little bit of home for Christmas.
