<p>Okay guys, you are entitled to your opinion and so am I. I have good eyesight, a good listening ear, and am around the students a lot to know what is going on. We will just have to agree to disagree as we all know no one will change their minds.</p>
<p>By the way your statements "Punish the violators, not the ones who can enjoy the Pub without problems", is an interesting statement. We use the Pub for our milk and cookies and so far we have had no problems.</p>
<p>I dunno. I'm a sloppy dunk(er). Just get a few chocolate chip cookies under my (expanding) belt and I've never met a stranger or an enemy.</p>
<h2>Hmmm. Note for World Peace: make sure Milk and Chocolate Chip cookies served at U.N. And not those transfat-free ones either.(I'd rather eat the box).</h2>
<p>I was wanting to underscore MY favorite, and how well the Cookie Cafe has been received (and appreciated). </p>
<p>For the other serious part of the pub chat, another thread/another day...
I'm just a parent who, like others, is working to support these mids from afar... and genuinely thankful for the big hearts and long arms ... enough to broaden the brood they care for... of a number of very special people.</p>
<p>Mrs Tweedy, you are an amazing woman. You made each lady involved in the success of the Encouragement Party, their own personal handbag. Thanks for all your time, and enormous effort to write "thanks" in handmade bags. You are very talented.</p>
<p>By the way the female midshipman whom we have all been reaching out to, is going home to see her Mom who has been moved to a hospice. Keep her in your prayers.</p>
<p>prayers again for Jennifer and her mom..what a tragedy...two parents in less than a year...I hope she has siblings to help each other through this</p>
<p>I received a box in the mail today with two afghans and a letter. It was written by a Mom who's son and daughter do not go to Kings Point. She had gone on College Confidential United States Merchant Marine Academy. She saw the request for comfort shawls, and it touched her heart.</p>
<p>Her Dad, who came to US at the age of 7 and couldn't speak English, had learned the language and graduated from Kings Point in 1944!! He was always so proud of coming to KP and went on to earn many medals, which she enclosed a picture of the medals. This daughter asked her Mother if she would like to knit an afghan in honor of her husband, a KP grad. The woman in her eighties just finished two Comfort Shawls which I received today, to be stored and given to female midshipmen who have problems and need comforting</p>
<p>BOPS, WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN REACHING OUT AND CARING.</p>
<p>Awesome KPMom! I wish I could knit or crochet, but I'm a total not "crafty" person. The best I can do is help when I can come up to KP :) and of course prayer.</p>
<p>Three of the BOPS Moms have been sacrificing by making and sending cookies for Cookie Cafe. They are very much part of what is going on. The students say they look forward to Thursdays for Cookie Cafe, so they can relax and take a break.</p>
<p>I just counted my pictures, and there are 395 students who have attended Cookie Cafe. Who would have suspected this would be so popular? I never guessed.</p>
<p>In August when I started this, I thought it would be one batch of cookies baked and 4-5 midshipmen would enjoy them with a glass of milk. Now it's 12 gallons of milk, besides all the coffee, hot cocoa and tea. The cookies are not longer one batch, but 85 dozen baked ahead of time and about 33 dozen baked on Thursday afternoon. We four Moms are treating your midshipmen royally and hopefully it helps give them a positive attitude for studying. Some of the profs and administration send students over for cookies for themselves. Maybe it will help their attitudes also. Thanks, you three Moms, for your time and work. You are very appreciated!!!!</p>
<p>Someone asked about the money for Cookie Cafe. The Chapel fund is reimbursing the cost of the ingredients and the milk for me. Where I could use help is baking cookies. </p>
<p>Mrs Tweedy wondered about the Parents Associations taking turns baking cookies and sending them. I get them pretty quickly by UPS then freeze them when they come. I could put up a little sign on the countertop each week, telling what Parents Association was responsible for baking the cookies.
There are enough Parents Associations that it wouldn't be every week or even every month. They have to be homebaked though. That is the special ingredient students want.</p>
<p>I sure do appreciate how busy everyone's lives is today, and how many times we are asked to contribute time and incidentals. I've had the chance to get to know KPMOM over the past few months, and one thing I have learned about her is that she is extremely hesitant to burden anyone by asking for help. I think she's asking for help.</p>
<p>Cookie Cafe needs OUR help! </p>
<p>I hope your son or daughter is one of the almost 400 that KPMOM has taken time to get to know and put in her special book along with their photo. This makes them feel really special. Knowing that she devotes most of her week and all day Thursday baking makes them feel special. Having a haven to eat a freshly baked cookie, get a hug and relax with friends must be the next best thing to being home again. </p>
<p>Doesn't this make you want to be a part of the support? It would make an ENORMOUS difference if we could help out by baking a few dozen cookies (just a few!) and send them to KPMOM. Because it's our Mids that benefit. She's looked for help locally, and isn't having any luck, but it's OUR kids that she's doing this for. As she said, she's baking almost 1500 cookies, providing 12 gallons of milk and hot chocolate and coffee every week, and occasionally getting a tiny reimbursement, as there is really no funding available. Food prices are on the rise. It would be a tremendous disappointment to the Mids if Cookie Cafe had to close, or if they had to be told the goodies ran out for the day.</p>
<p>It truly doesn't cost much to send a box via FedEx Ground. I sent one weighing 18 pounds and it cost $7.82. It got there in 2 days going GROUND rate. KPMOM has a huge freezer and can freeze cookies for the following week, so you can ship to her anytime. Brownies and bars baked in aluminum pans and left uncut ship beautifully. You'd probably be baking if your son or daughter were still at home anyway!</p>
<p>For me, it feels really great knowing that the Mids are enjoying what I made for them, and hopefully putting a smile on their faces!</p>
<p>I would bet that if you truly don't have time to bake, KPMOM would gladly accept donations towards the supplies, but it's really the time-intensive baking that is becoming overwhelming for her.</p>
<p>Can we help out as individuals or perhaps organize a weekly group effort through our own Parents Associations? Does anyone have any good ideas?</p>
<p>Cookie Cafe is described as the best social activity going at KP. Let's please get behind it and show our Mids how much we care that they have cookies and milk!</p>
<p>I just received an email from the female midshipman whom we had the Encouragement Party for. The Memorial Service for her Mom was Saturday. She is doing fine, and will be back to school on Tuesday. Between BOPS, midshipmen reaching out, and help with a sounding board, suggestions on some "mountains" and counsel, she has come through this okay. I just want to say THANKS!!! We all worked as a team and made a big difference in a midshipman's life.</p>