Bakers unite to serve soldiers

If an army moves on its stomach, then P.J. Degross plans to give American troops in Iraq fuel in the form of home-baked cookies.

She is looking for Carson City organizations willing to spend time baking and for people to donate cash for shipping. Already the Casino Fandango, the Republican Women's Committee and Liaison Salon have signed on.

Degross said the idea came to her as she chatted with a soldier who is part of her webofsupport.com Soldier Adoption Program.

"He said, 'You know, we could really use some homemade cookies,'" she said. "And I thought, I can do this."

Every Friday, Degross hopes to ship cookies to three companies within the 101st Airborne Division and some U.S. Marine units serving in Iraq.

Liaison Salon has also agreed to be a drop off point for donations, she said.

She said if baking isn't someone's forte, Girl Scout cookies will also be accepted for shipping.

For information, contact Degross at pjdahling@aol.com. For information on the Soldier Adoption Program, visit webofsupport.com.

The Stand Tall Don't Fall Club is sponsoring an essay, photography and visual arts contest as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, which falls in April.

The topic is "How alcohol use or abuse has affected my life." Students in high school can submit a two-page essay, an original photograph or a project reflecting the topic. Cash prizes of $75, supplied by the parent-teacher-student association, will be awarded in each of the three categories.

Entries are due Friday and should be submitted to Michelle Quintero, Room 305 in the Tech Center of Carson High School. For information, call Linda Lang, parent coordinator for Stand Tall, at 882-6674.

The Nevada Council for the Prevention of Domestic Violence is seeking new members. The application is brief and submissions will be accepted through June 16.

The mission of the council includes providing direction to the governor and the Legislature on statewide domestic-violence policy and legislation; increasing public awareness of the magnitude and seriousness of domestic violence and sexual assault; advocating appropriate changes in law enforcement procedure and increasing access to legal and medical services to survivors in need.

The Council meets quarterly in either Reno or Las Vegas and consists of a wide spectrum of community members, including educators, business and health-care professionals, service providers, law enforcement, judiciary, prosecutors, and advocates, as well as domestic violence victims and survivors.

Travel and per diem reimbursement are provided for official functions.

The application is available on the Nevada Department of Justice Web site at the following link: http://www.ag.state.nv.us, under "Hot Topics."

For information or to receive the application by mail or fax, please contact Kareen Prentice at kcprenti@ag.state.nv.us or 688-1872.