Let's Help! - OR- A "legal" way to send cookies to your Plebe! (and more!!!)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Merchant Marine Academy - Kings Point
1

<p>I have been learning a great deal about KPMOM of late and I am stunned at the amount of love and energy she puts into ALL of our sons & daughters in every way imaginable. You may already know this about her, but in case you don't, you will be amazed at the story of the Cookie Cafe alone. She started the Cafe this year when she needed something to fill her time between the study she has with women Midshipmen on Thursday mornings (an impressive commitment in its own right) and her ride home. She thought there might be 5 students who would drop by and visit, and she would make a batch of cookies. This has all been word of mouth, and the mouth has turned out to be hungry! She is currently baking at least 800 - that's EIGHT HUNDRED cookies a week for our kids and bakes MORE on site on Thursdays. This week she is even bringing in sugar cookie dough and Valentine sprinklie things so the kids can make Valentine cookies!</p>

<p>I know she won't like having me put the spotlight on her kindness, she does all this (and much much more) purely for the enjoyment of seeing smiles on the Mids' faces.</p>

<p>SHE NEEDS HELP! I have seen how Moms (like myself) are posting frustrations that we can't send baked goodies to our Plebes. Well here you go!! I asked her if I could organize a way for us Moms to mail her cookies on a regular basis to help lighten her load, and even though she doesn't like to ask for help, she replied:</p>

<p>"That would be a wonderful idea about the cookies. I love doing Cookie Cafe, even though it's a lot of work, and I have to bring everything from home, it's still fun. The part that is getting too big is baking all the extra cookies. There is only one oven at Land Hall so I can't keep up with the students. I am making from 700-800 cookies at home to take in. Most of the time they wipe me out. Each week I am getting new students and the numbers keep growing. It obviously is filling a need at the Academy."</p>

<p>I bet like me, you may have assumed this was an Academy-assisted endeavor, but it's all done by KPMOM, and we love her.</p>

<p>Please contact me if you can help by mailing some cookies to her in time for Cookie Cafe on Thurdays. This brilliant idea of hers has become a favorite oasis for so many of the Mids, and it's about so much more than cookies...</p>

<p>Thanks for your help, and Ladies...start your ovens!!!!!</p>

2

<p>Thanks Mrs Tweedy for the compliments, but I don't need them. I just love the midshipmen. I am absolutely no substitite for Mom and Dad, but I borrow them temporarily while they are away from you. We try to make their time at KP easier, and manageable, so they do okay, and finally graduate.</p>

<p>I could use help on the cookie baking as this has taken off! Over half the midshipmen on campus have come to eat cookies, and I only started it in August, unannounced.</p>

<p>The students ask me "are these store bought?" I get the impression that they won't eat them if I buy them at a store. The homebaked ones remind them of home. In fact, I deliberately serve the cookies on wax paper on the countertop, and leave the milk in the refrigerator, so they will think of home, and Mom baking cookies for them. As I give them another sheet of hot cookies and a spatula to take them off, I hear them saying, "this is just what my Mom has me do at home". I believe the success has nothing to do with me, but "it's a touch of home", as I overheard one midshipmen recently say to his friend. In fact, some of the recipes I use are the favorite recipes from home that the Moms have sent me. If a student requests a cookie, he/she will have it sitting on the countertop the next week for them.</p>

<p>I have made friends with many of them, and enjoy listening as they tell me about their week, their studies, problems, and exciting things. </p>

<p>I prefer for Cookie Cafe NOT to become an "official program", because that entails meetings, endless discussions, slowness on decisions, and waiting for someone to tell me what I can and cannot do. Right now, it's just an informal students showing up, I bake at home and on Thursdays, and other midshipmen bake Thursday afternoons also. </p>

<p>Thanks for sending your sons and daughters to KP, I'm having fun getting to know them.</p>

3

<p>KPMom.
Surely there is a special place in heaven for you. My D is currently at sea which is why I have not heard of you before this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you're doing for our kids. It means so much to them and us to have someone that appreciates the little touches of home.</p>

4

<p>One Thursday I was lucky enough to be able to help at cookie cafe. My son was expecting a friend of his who is thinking about coming to KP 2012 and he was in the cookie cafe waiting for him to arrive. KPMom and I were baking cookies and my son was looking out the window and he turned to us and said "wow, I almost feel like I'm home." That basically says it all. Thanks KPMom!!!</p>