Can you smell the cookies? Published Nov. 24, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Carissa Wolff 36th Wing Public Affairs ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- With a taste of home in mind, volunteers from across Andersen are sponsoring the annual Cookie Caper Dec. 15 to spread some holiday cheer for dorm residents and those deployed here. The Cookie Caper is a base tradition where volunteers bake thousands of cookies and assemble them into individually decorated bags each containing one dozen homemade cookies to be delivered to airmen who live in the dorms and those deployed to Andersen. "This is truly a base wide effort with school children and scout groups decorating the cookie bags, volunteers baking cookies and volunteers assembling the bags the day of the event," said Beth Talley, the Cookie Caper event chairman. Volunteers will assemble the bags at the Chapel Two Annex here from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. As the bags are assembled, first sergeants will make the deliveries, said Mrs. Talley. She said this year's event is spinning up, but volunteers are needed to guarantee its success adding that in 2008 volunteers packaged 10,404 cookies into 867 bags. "We were successful last year due to the commissary donating cookies, volunteers baking and packaging the cookies, and the first sergeants delivering the cookies," said Mrs. Talley. "This year we are looking forward to another successful event." To ensure the Cookie Caper's success, volunteers are needed in the following areas: ●Baking cookies: The Cookie Caper staff requests a variety of traditional, festive, colorful and freshly made cookies; previously frozen cookies tend to crumble. Volunteers may drop off cookies as early as 6:30 a.m. but no later than 10 a.m. Dec. 15 at Chapel Two Annex. ●Candy for bags: New this year, the Cookie Capers are requesting holiday candy such as candy canes, candy kisses, etc. to fill the gift bags. All candy must be individually wrapped. Candy donations may be dropped off at the Chapel Two Annex the day of the event. ●Curbside cookie drop-off: Volunteers are needed to run the curbside cookie drop-off outside Chapel two from 6:30 to 9 a.m. ●Bag assembly: Volunteers are needed to fill individual cookie bags inside the Chapel Two Annex from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers are not obligated to stay the entire event and may chose a time convenient for them. For more information or to volunteer for the Cookie Caper event, contact Beth Talley by e-mail marknbethtalley@aol.com or call 653-3136. Volunteer hours are 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.