Santa spreads cheer at Cookies with the Commanders
Members of the Granville Allen VFW Post 5837 and its Auxiliary, with support from Delta and Aerospace Composites, helped coordinate the annual Cookies with the Commanders event in Morgantown. PHOTO | Beverly Bonilla
Story and Pictures by Beverly Bonilla
Santa made another special appearance in Morgantown on December 13, 2025, at the UK Extension Office during the annual Cookies with the Commanders event. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., children and families were welcomed to enjoy a festive day filled with holiday cheer alongside Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Walker Havens 2 years old with Santa. PHOTO | Beverly Bonilla
The event was hosted by the Granville Allen VFW Post 5837 and its Auxiliary, who opened the doors to everyone in the community for cookies and hot chocolate. Each child was able to have their photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus and then led by a Veteran or a member of the Auxiliary to help pick from a variety of donated items, including toys, shoes, hats, coats, gloves, backpacks, lunchboxes and blankets, while supplies lasted.
Members of the Granville Allen VFW Post 5837 and volunteers. PHOTO | Beverly Bonilla
After collecting their items, children were invited to decorate Christmas cookies and warm up with hot chocolate. The fun continued with a scavenger hunt, where participants searched for pictures posted all over the event area. Once completed, the children turned in their hunt papers for a special prize before heading home.
Smiles and hot chocolate were shared as volunteers helped serve refreshments. PHOTO | Beverly Bonilla
The VFW received additional support from Delta and Aerospace Composites, helping make the event a tremendous success. Andy Gidcumb shared that approximately 1,700 toys and items were given away, with well over $10,000 spent on preparation for the event. Organizers anticipated serving between 300 to 350 children throughout the day.
Children were guided by veterans and volunteers as they chose toys and supplies during the Cookies with the Commanders holiday event in Morgantown. PHOTO | Beverly Bonilla
Once again, Cookies with the Commanders proved to be a meaningful and successful community event. The Granville Allen VFW Post 5837 continues to go above and beyond in serving local families, along with Delta and Aerospace Composites, always stepping up to support those in the community.
