TREAT THE TROOPS 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 2022 Treat The Troops drive. We acknowledge Lillian Riley who initiated our efforts back in 2008. Treat The Troops is a national, non-profit program. All donations go towards providing deployed troops boxes of treats. There are no administrative expenses.Harbor Hills residents are leading our local effort to provide deployed U.S. military personnel with a welcome taste of home. Last year we sent a total of 8,064 homemade cookies in 84 boxes to soldiers deployed to Kosovo, Poland, South Korea, a ship in the Middle East and a military hospital in Abu Dhabi. Our challenging goal for 2022 is 100 packages shipped to our deployed troops. We welcome support from Harbor Hills, The Villages and neighboring communities.Names of deployed soldiers are needed to send cookies for the holidays. To request a form with your soldier’s name and information, contact Frankie Smith at frasmith1@gmail.com. Names must be submitted by early November so the volunteers know how many boxes are needed and labels to print.The last day to donate cookies or postage money is November 27^th. For additional information, contact Rosann Cochran at rcochran479@gmail.com. To find out more about Treat The Troops, link to www.treatthetroops.com. Our soldiers deserve our gratitude and much more.Enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast at picturesque Harbor Hills Country Club! Call 352-753-7000 to purchase your non-refundable tickets.