*Being sent on behalf of Chesapeake charities
OPERATION CHRISTMAS COOKIES
for the Kentucky tornado victims
Chesapeake Charities is organizing “Operation Christmas Cookies”, to deliver much-needed Christmas cheer to the residents of Kentucky who were affected by the devastating tornado last week. We are asking community members to bake their favorite holiday cookies and pack them by the dozen for distribution. Chesapeake Charities is also collecting donations of unwrapped toys for children, warm clothing such as coats, hats, and gloves, and teddy bears and stuffed animals to bring the children comfort during these difficult days. The staff will then
deliver the cookies, toys, and clothing to Kentucky on December 22, and serve the local resident’s hot chocolate, coffee, and apple cider while they disburse the gifts.
Anyone interested in helping is encouraged to donate unwrapped gifts for children and bake their favorite cookies. These can be delivered to the Chesapeake Charities office, 101 Log Canoe Circle, Stevensville, MD between December 16-21. The office hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Special arrangements for drop-off can be made by contacting the staff at 410-643-4020 or by email at info@chesapeakecharities.org.
Earlier in the year, Chesapeake Charities partnered with The Clifton Foundation to create a series of character and leadership lesson plans known as “Let’s Talk,” that are being used in afterschool
programs, summer camps, environmental programs, and sports activities to reinforce the importance of the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring, citizenship, and fairness. The Let’s Talk lesson plans are free and available to
download from the Chesapeake Charities website www.chesapeakecharities.org [2].
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Let’s Talk program was expanded to include eye-catching roadside billboards to encourage kindness and civility when school were closed and Character Counts! messages were not being delivered. The billboard campaign is just another way of spreading the message that kindness matters. The most recent Let’s Talk billboard was installed on Route 301 facing west between Route 213 and John Brown Road. “Think twice, choose nice” is the message this holiday season. “The Operation Christmas Cookie initiative is our way of leading by example” said Linda Kohler, Executive Director for Chesapeake Charities.