As the season of giving grows, more people are looking for a way to give back to their community. Robert Morris University has plenty of ways students, faculty, and staff can give back—one of those ways includes Operation Oreo. A band program, Operation Oreo is a unique way to thank the troops across seas.

The mission for Operation Oreo is to gather bags of Oreo cookies and send them across seas to the troops in the middle east. This program began last year and its purpose is to give the soldiers a little bit of home while they are away. Coming from a military family herself, Director of Bands Elisabeth Charles explains what made her decide to begin Operation Oreo.

“I am always interested in things that will help our military and I’m so proud of our men and women who serve. A friend of mine from high school does this (Operation Oreo) with her church in Georgia and I saw it on her Facebook post,” said Charles.

Borrowing the idea from the First Methodist Church of Atlanta, Charles gave the program a try and was able to collect 350 bags last year. This year, Charles and the band set a goal to double the amount of bags collected and with the help of Pennsylvania’s Distributive Education Clubs of America, commonly known as DECA, the band is already well on its way to making that goal.

“I announced it (Operation Oreo) at football games during halftime and last Friday I received an email from gentlemen who is the state sponsor for the high school DECA chapter,” said Charles, “Well he was looking for a project for the fall leadership conference and so he and all of the DECA chapters throughout West Virginia collected. They brought 316 bags to the football game on Saturday (Nov. 12th).”

For Carly Phillips, sophomore and member of the dance team, Operation Oreo is a way the band can give back to the community.

“We (The RMU Band) are always looking for ways to not only support other teams and athletics but also support our community as well… Just the idea of giving back to the troops that do so much for us is kind of the big thing for me,” said Phillips.

Up until Dec. 4, the band will have a collection center at all home sporting events. The RMU Band and also has a collection center at Student Life that students can donate Oreos during operation hours. All types of Oreos are appreciated.