Hey guys! Just wanted to let everyone know that even if you don't have a blog you can participate in this! Just send me an email stephaniesnow (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know you want to join in! I'll have our guys bio posted no later then tomorrow and then I can start sending out his address to the people who are participating! Here's a quick snippet in press release version! My co-workers sister wrote this up for me to distribute to the local news stations and papers... Hopefully it gets us some positive press!

Rochester foodie rounds up cookies for troops overseas

Aug. 8

Stephanie Snow, a Rochester graphic designer, shipped off her first box of coconut cookies to an army officer stationed in Iraq as part of a newly formed grassroots baking group that’s exploding thanks to other food bloggers.

She’s now looking for other volunteers to help her expand her culinary efforts: Bake cookies and send them off to appreciative soldiers.

Snow, a 27-year-old self-described foodie, learned about Operation Baking GALS, at the end of July. And she was immediately taken with the sweetness and simplicity of the mission.

In this case, Snow’s chosen Lt. Eric Olson to be the recipient of her coconut cookies. She’s friends with Olsen’s wife, and all three attended Rochester Institute of Technology. Olsen entered the Navy, shortly after graduating with a mechanical engineering degree.

“I’m interested in doing this,’’ Snow said, “because I’ve had friends who haven’t come back from war.’’

Operation Baking GALS, http://operationbakinggals.blogspot.com/, was started July 26, by Susan Whetzel, who writes on her food blog, doughmesstic.com, that she was inspired to send her cousin cookies in Iraq after she realized he was lonesome for home, his wife and his new baby.

Other food bloggers, like Snow, picked up Whetzel’s story. There are now five branches, including Snow’s in Rochester, that will be fielding baking volunteers, which as of Aug. 8, numbered about 150. Cookies are being baked in New York, Tennessee and California.

Snow is looking for any baker, professional or not, to contact her about how to send cookies to her friend. Snow baked ANZAC biscuits, which stands for Australian New Zealand Army Corps. These cookies have nothing perishable in them, Snow said, and are made with oats, brown sugar and coconut.

Volunteer bakers are responsible for ingredients and shipping off the cookies. Snow said it’s about $10 a box to send to a military base.