USO Cookie Week Brings Joy to Service Members in Toruń, Poland

The USO knows the holiday season is a critical time for service members and their families, especially those far from home and loved ones. To bring holiday magic to military communities around the globe, the first week of December has become known throughout the USO as Cookie Week. During this week, USO staff members and volunteers host fun activities and programs centered around cookies. For service members, fresh cookies were delivered to the motor pool, hospitals and other on-duty locations around base. For spouses, centers hosted fun cookie decorating events and cookie recipe swaps, while military kids celebrated with cookie-themed Storytime and fun crafts.

For soldiers in Toruń, Poland, challenging living conditions and limited opportunities to destress made this holiday season look a little different. Alejandra Lopez and Natalie Bird-Carter, staff members from USO Powidz, were determined to bring USO Cookie Week to these soldiers. With plenty of holiday cheer, they embarked on a five-hour journey to make it happen.

Their goal was to create a meaningful experience that went beyond simply delivering cookies. After learning that Toruń is known throughout Europe for its Toruńskie pierniczki, or Toruń gingerbread cookies, USO staff chose to highlight gingerbread as the centerpiece of the festivities, incorporating the region’s local heritage.

Expeditionary events like this involve extensive planning and preparation. From coordinating the long drive, organizing engaging activities, shopping for last-minute items and carefully selecting the perfect cookies to bring, every detail was thoughtfully considered to ensure each day brought joy and a sense of connection to service members.

Alejandra and Natalie started the trip by setting up the USO Reading Program so service members could record a story to send to loved ones. The USO Reading Program is such an important part of making sure men and women in the military feel connected to home, especially those deployed to remote locations.

After many people had the chance to record a story, it was time for the cookie drop. USO staff and some amazing volunteers traveled across the base delivering cookies to every service member on duty. They also planned a few surprises, bringing the Grinch, Gingerbread man, and USO Canine volunteer, Buddy, along for the delivery.

“The soldiers’ reactions were heartwarming,” said Natalie. “They were excited and appreciative, not just for the cookies, but for the effort we put into creating a festive atmosphere with the gingerbread costume, Grinch costume and more.” When they walked away from groups of soldiers, everyone was smiling and enjoying their holiday treats.

The positivity of the service member volunteers left a lasting impression. Soldiers were asked if they wanted to volunteer with the USO for a day, not fully knowing what they were signing up for. When they found out they would be dressing up in costumes and delivering cookies, they were more than happy to raise their hand.

“Watching them choose their outfits with such enthusiasm—and the laughter that followed as they got into character—was unforgettable,” Natalie said.

But what made it truly special was seeing how much joy they experienced while delivering the cookies. You could see they were completely caught up in the Christmas spirit, and it was clear that the act of giving brought them as much happiness, if not more, than the soldiers receiving the treats.

After ensuring every soldier received a cookie, the USO helped decorate their morale space, creating a festive atmosphere to bring holiday cheer throughout the season. Decorations included a gingerbread house competition, cookie decorating station, care package decorating kits, Santa hat decorating, a hot cocoa bar, a cookie bar, s’mores and a USO Program in a Box with Christmas ornament making. They also left them with lots of USO Holiday bags, full of snacks and cold weather gear. The USO is dedicated to making every service member feel appreciated and connected, not just during the holiday season but throughout the year.

Natalie and Alejandra witnessed firsthand the impact these cookies and holiday decorations had on soldiers in the field. Simple gestures, like handing a soldier a gingerbread cookie, create meaningful moments that resonate deeply during the holiday season.

“One particularly touching moment was when a soldier created a care package for his wife and became emotional while writing her a heartfelt Christmas note,” said Natalie. “He shared that it was the most time he had taken to truly express his appreciation for her, making it a meaningful and powerful moment.”

Seeing the joy on these soldiers’ faces was the highlight of the trip. When reflecting on the day, Lieutenant Colonel Edwards, Commander of 2/39 Field Artillery, said, “I’ve never seen so many grown adults have this much fun with crafts!”