<p>Cookie Cafe has taken off like I never believed it would. This year it became overwhelming because we are averaging 400-450 midshipmen each week at Cookie Cafe. I was having trouble keeping up with all the baking demands. </p>
<p>Then a wonderful thing happened! You parents joined me as a team to keep Cookie Cafe going. I am overwhelmed by the time, and care put into the homebaked cookies, that are shipped to my home to go into my freezer for the next Cookie Cafe. This week, I have 100 dozen being shipped to me. The students will love it, and will finish them off. I still bake a lot, but it's not impossible any more.</p>
<p>Cookie Cafe just started a year ago last August when I decided to bake one batch of choc chip cookies at Land Hall and brought a gallon of milk with me. I didn't advertise or tell anyone, but the students smelled the cookies from outside. As they wandered in, they heard music playing, saw tablecloths on all the tables, and a place to just relax from the tensions at the academy. Word spread quickly, and each week it keeps growing.</p>
<p>Parents, we have hit on something very needed at the academy. I am overwhelmed by the time and effort you are putting out to keep this a success. Thanks.</p>
<p>Thank you KPMOM for organizing this. And thank you to all who contribute to this. I know our plebe D looks forward to Cookie Cafe each week, even if cookies aren't the best thing to eat before her sports practice. We live on the wrong side of the Atlantic to be able to send her home-baked goodies ourselves. It's so nice to see so many other people looking out for all the mids! Thank you all!</p>
<p>I was thrilled during this last trimester break to find out that my son loved the cookie cafe and looked forward to it each week. Many emails ended with "got to go to the cookie cafe now bye!" To KPMom if you ever are short a few dozen, let us know and we'll be glad to send more. I know that many of the parents associations are sponsoring different weeks and we were thrilled we could participate. Just let us know if you need more.
Thank YOU KPMom!</p>
<p>KPmom has set SUCH a great example for us to follow. </p>
<h2>There are so many ways to become involved, even if you ARE far away. </h2>
<p>We've mentioned what we are doing to our friends (who want to participate), as well as our little church (which has a small but scrappy contingent of folks who are wayyy better bakers than I am). </p>
<p>But it shows how a little seed of an idea can really sprout...
KPmom probably felt like she planted Kudzu in her fields :) </p>
<p>And thanks to all the parents who have contributed, and to those who WILL contribute your time and talents in supporting reaching out to these amazing young men and women. [ a very special thanks to Mrs Tweedy for volunteering and helping coordinate our disparate groups into something a bit more useful... and for some cracking good instructions that helped even us all-thumbs parents package and deliver our contributions easily]</p>
<p>Cookie Cafe is on Thursdays from 1-5 in Land Hall. I hope your mid shows up. I give all new midshipmen a MOM hug, and take their picture as I am learning the names. So, I may find your mid that way, though I don't have a name.</p>
<p>Yes, a special thanks goes to Mrs. Tweedy who has been coordinating all the parents groups and has special instructions about how to wrap the cookies so they arrive in perfect condition. Thanks Mrs. Tweedy for your invaluable help and making the Cookie Cafe logo for us.</p>
<p>I am becoming good friends with the UPS, FED EX, Post Office, and DHL employees as they keep coming to my door. All of them know they are delivering cookies. You parents are AWESOME.</p>
<p>I know I helped at parents weekend and the students loved making both nobake and baked cookies (some of you may call them boil cookies). I know a wonderful parent supplied KPMOM with several baking utentials and cookie sheets. The thing I saw her still carring back and forth was two stock pots for the nobake cookies and two free standing mixer (one of which has seen better days). </p>
<p>If anyone can furnish these items to the cookie cafe I know KPMOM would appreciate it and would never ask. </p>