VERO BEACH — When U.S. Army Pfc. Thomas "Luke" Barden got his 30-day leave from Afghanistan, he knew he'd be a busy man. Catching up with family in Virginia, getting married on Sept. 14 in Tulsa, Okla. and making a quick trip to Vero Beach were the top three priorities on the 27-year-old's list.
Why Vero Beach? Barden, who is originally from Charlottesville, Va. and currently is stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, wanted to meet the "cookie ladies" of Vero Beach who have been sending him care packages of the sweet treats for the past year. He finally had the chance to express his thanks in person Friday night when the Elks Lodge No. 1774 held a special appreciation dinner in his honor. "I find it so fantastic that people wanted to help out total strangers," said Barden. "They're just wonderful American citizens who want to help out our troops."Barden said the cookies arrived like clockwork to members of the platoon and they would squabble over who would get to retrieve them from the mail."When you get a box of anything from home, it's just a wonderful feeling," said Barden. "Everyone gets so excited to get mail and when the cookies arrived, I would share them with my whole platoon." Heading up the cookies for soldiers project is Vero Beach resident Rose Tufano, who has been baking, packing and shipping for more than three years, first through the Italian American Civic Association and now through the Elks Lodge 1774. About 30 people bring cookies each month to the club and help pack and ship more than 30 boxes to members of the armed forces.
"I never thought I would get a chance to meet any of our soldiers that we were sending cookies to," said Tufano. "But Luke was different because he kept sending us letters back, thanking us for the cookies and letting us know he would come to Vero Beach to see us personally. And he kept his word." Barden's name was submitted to the cookie project by Vero Beach resident Mary Pate, a close friend of his cousin Barbara Strimel, also a Vero Beach resident.
"I've always known that Luke is special," said Strimel. "But to see him honored this way by these ladies has been just inspiring. It makes me proud to be an American." At the Elks dinner Friday night, almost 150 local residents came to thank Barden for his service to country and to get a firsthand look at the young man who stole the hearts of the cookie-makers in Vero Beach. "When we heard that Luke wanted to come here to Vero Beach and meet the women personally, we thought it was really nice," said Faith Sapper, treasurer of the Elks Lodge 1774. "And we thought that we should put together this steak dinner to show our thanks to a soldier who has served our country so well." Barden's mother Brenda Lockwood flew in from Virginia to attend the event, and said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love. "They say good things can happen from a box of cookies," said Lockwood. "This is just fantastic".
"I've always known that Luke is special," said Strimel. "But to see him honored this way by these ladies has been just inspiring. It makes me proud to be an American." At the Elks dinner Friday night, almost 150 local residents came to thank Barden for his service to country and to get a firsthand look at the young man who stole the hearts of the cookie-makers in Vero Beach. "When we heard that Luke wanted to come here to Vero Beach and meet the women personally, we thought it was really nice," said Faith Sapper, treasurer of the Elks Lodge 1774. "And we thought that we should put together this steak dinner to show our thanks to a soldier who has served our country so well." Barden's mother Brenda Lockwood flew in from Virginia to attend the event, and said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love. "They say good things can happen from a box of cookies," said Lockwood. "This is just fantastic".
Cookies for Soldiers is an ongoing service project by the Elks Lodge No. 1774 in Vero Beach.
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