Thanks to local volunteers, nearly 12,000 cookies will be distributed to soldiers and sailors working overseas.Treat the Troops Southern Style, which asks area residents to give homemade cookies and other treats for shipment, held its final cookie packing event of 2012 on Thursday night. Linda Jones, founder of the organization, which is a chapter of the national Treat the Troops nonprofit, said volunteers prepared more than 115 boxes for servicemen and women at the VFW post on Dahlonega Highway. That was a record breaker for the new chapter, said Jones, who’s been involved with the national organization for about six years.