First published in the June 3 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
The South Pasadena Woman’s Club recently held its annual “Operation Cookie” event, sending baked goodies to veterans.
Last week, volunteers assembled boxes filled with cookies at the organization’s clubhouse on Fremont Avenue.
“Operation Cookie” delivers containers of cookies to veterans’ hospitals, homeless veterans’ centers, the Wounded Warriors battalion at Camp Pendleton, to military women in need and other groups serving veterans.
Volunteers decorate the boxes with a variety of patriotic and colorful stickers and a label that thanks veterans for their military service.
One of the biggest donations this year came from Priority One Credit Union in South Pasadena, which donated more than 5,000 cookies, according to Woman’s Club representative Beverly Biber, who coordinated this year’s project.
The company held a competition to see which department could bake or buy the most cookies to be sent to veterans.
“They really outdid themselves this year,” Biber said.
The project started during World War II, taking a brief hiatus after 9/11. Biber said the project has now expanded to include veterans with special needs.
Cookies were also sent to the Jimmy Miller Foundation, which provides ocean therapy to veterans to help them deal with issues such as post-traumatic syndrome.
