“I can only imagine what it must be like for our troops to be in a different country away from their family,” King said.

King, who started the Treats for Troops program in Land O’ Lakes three years ago, usually bakes 1,200 cookies each week to send to the troops, but wanted to do something special for Christmas. She set a goal of sending 18,000 cookies to the troops by Dec. 10, which would fill 250 boxes.

“I wanted to set the deadline of Dec. 10 so I make sure they reach the troops by Christmas,” King said. “Funds are depleted at the moment, and we could use all the help we can get to buy the supplies to get the cookies baked. We owe our freedom to our troops. This is the least we can do for them.”

King has shipped a total of 415 dozen cookies as of Dec. 3. Ricardo Montero, of Wesley Chapel, has been helping her bake.

“I saw the article in The Laker and wanted to help the soldiers,” Montero said. “Where I’m from, very few people have nice things, but here in America everyone does. I want to help the soldiers who let us have such freedoms until they all come home.”

Montero moved to Florida 20 years ago from Mexico City and has a commercial oven that can bake 600 cookies in an hour. King now has help baking cookies, but she still needs baking supplies to use the oven to its full capacity.

The cookies are baked longer to make them harder so they ship easier. King then packs them with other treats such as candy, pretzels, popcorn and hot chocolate. She then sends the boxes through Bob Williams and Support Our Troops in Wesley Chapel.

King was collecting leftover Halloween candy to send to the troops during November.

King received candy donations from Zephyrhills, Dade City, Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes, Odessa and Lutz to name a few local areas.

The October article was titled “Local Woman Devoted to Baking Cookies for U.S. Troops” and can be viewed on www.cnewspubs.com in the archive.

King is still collecting cookies, as well as baking supplies, toiletries and feminine hygiene products. For the exact type of baking supplies needed or to make other donations, call King at (813) 746-1517 or e-mail her at karin_king@yahoo.com

King will also be starting a drive to collect letters and cards from the community to boost troop morale. King will begin the letter drive in earnest after the start of the new year and wants to “saturate” military bases with them by Valentine’s Day.

King is surrounded by sweet treats daily, but she is not tempted to eat them for two reasons. The treats are for the troops, and she has type II diabetes. She was diagnosed with the disease in January 2006 but has kept the sweet stuff in her life by indirect means.

“I want to keep sending treats and supplies for as long as our troops are over there,” King said. “It is just something small to let them know people are thinking of them.”

King receives letters and e-mails from troops thanking her for the treats and supplies. One such letter came from Matt Kaslik of the Navy, who wrote:

“I wanted to thank you for the wonderful, thoughtful and respectful care package you sent to our team! The note was very heartfelt and sincere and we want to return the ‘thank you’ to you and your friends who made these wonderful baked goods while sharing your love and devotion.”

“I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the community for really stepping up to the plate this season, but please remember that after the holidays the loneliness will hit our troops the hardest,” King said. “It’s then that we will need everyone’s help the most to help them keep their chin up. Let’s not forget our troops after the holidays. They won’t stop fighting for our freedom after the holidays.”

For more information on Treats for Troops

To help Treats for Troops

• Call: (813) 746-1517
• E-mail: karin_king@yahoo.com  or treatsfortroops2009@gmail.com  
• Needed items: baking supplies, help with baking, letters and cards to the troops, coffee, instant beverages (Kool-Aid, lemonade), tea, pretzels, popcorn, hot chocolate, toiletries (body wash, shampoo, body lotion, sunscreen) and feminine hygiene products.
• Web site:   www.treatsfortroops.info