RESIDENTS TREAT TROOPS WITH SPECIAL COOKIES BY NIKKI HOFFMAN

Our brave soldiers are deployed in more than 150 countries. Active-duty personnel serving outside the United States number more than 170,000 men and women. They don’t get to go home after work. The comforts of home are what our soldiers miss most.High on that list are home-baked goodies. Enter the Harbor Hills Ladies and our 2021 Treat The Troops drive. Treat The Troops is a national, non-profit program. All donations go towards providing deployed troops boxes of treats. There are no administrative expenses.Roseann Cochran and Shirle Mabie are leading our local effort to provide deployed U.S. military personnel with a welcome taste of home. Last year we sent 1,180 dozen cookies (12,960 cookies) in 135 boxes to our troops. The project included overwhelming support from residents. Requests came from our soldiers in Kuwait, Africa, China, Kosovo and South Korea.Show your support by sending a taste of home during the holiday season. Donate cookies, contribute money for postage, write personal notes or provide the names and addresses of personnel stationed overseas until after the holiday. Mailing one box costs $21.90 with the military discount. The last day to donate cookies or postage money is November 29. For additional information, contact Roseann Cochran at rcochran479@gmail.com. To find out more about Treat The Troops, link to www.treatthetroops.com.There is still time to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast at Harbor Hills. Call 352-753-7000 for reservations. To my friends and family, know that I am grateful for each one of you in my life. I wish you the happiest, healthiest Thanksgiving ever. From our home to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.