C is for cookie ... and community.

Volunteers from the DeKalb and Sycamore communities will be handing out 55,000 cookies throughout campus on Monday and Tuesday as part of the Communiverity’s NIU Cookie Drive.

“The cookie drive came out of a conversation to provide a comforting gesture to returning students in the form of a cookie handed out on Monday and Tuesday of this next week,” said Dawn Littlefield, executive director of the Kishwaukee United Way. “Phone calls were made to local businesses to secure the cookies and a number of groups donated from 1000 up to 20,000 cookies each.”

Cookies were donated by dozens of businesses, among them McDonald’s, Kishwaukee Hospital, Wal-Mart, Voluntary Action Center, Schnucks, Aramark and Sweet Dreams.

The Communiversity Cares Committee organized the event and dozens of businesses and organizations from DeKalb and Sycamore were involved. More than 200 volunteers worked in shifts at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, wrapping and labeling cookies, said Theresa Komitas, public relations specialist for Kishwaukee Health System.

Flyers and e-mails were sent out by both the DeKalb and Sycamore Chambers of Commerce to recruit volunteers. Many also used personal mailing lists to recruit. Lee Blankenship, owner of the Village Commons Bookstore, and his wife Cheryl were among those wrapping cookies this weekend.

“[We] hope to help make a transition for students to feel more at ease,” Blankenship said. “It may not be exciting, but I think it’s a worthwhile campaign.”

Littlefield found the reaction of the community to be uplifting and comforting. She hopes the cookies will, in some way, bring some happiness back to campus.

“As we prepared the cookies for the volunteer teams, it was energizing to see the volunteers arrive for their shifts,” she said. “Some taking off of work to be there, some bringing their sons and daughters, all giving their time and energy to do their part to bring hope, healing and support to students and staff in the midst of a tragedy."

Cookies will be distributed by volunteers at tables set up at the residence halls, Holmes Student Center, Campus Life Building and Convocation Center.

Volunteers will be wearing name tags and each cookie has a message that reads “Forward Together Forward. The greater DeKalb/Sycamore community cares for you.”

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