By Roger Nomer
rnomer@joplinglobe.com
As members of the 414th Military Police Company came to pick up Girl Scout cookies for their deployment to Afghanistan, Cecelia Hay had just one warning for them.
“Now don’t eat all these cookies on the way there,” Hay called out to the assembled troops.
Area Girl Scouts from Webb City and Carl Junction donated close to 80 boxes of cookies to the 414th on Friday afternoon. The unit will leave for training in Texas today, and then go on to Afghanistan.
Members of the 414th gathered to pick up the donations at the Joplin headquarters of the Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland and take the boxes with them on their deployment.
“This is part of our Cookie Share program,” explained Hay, community development and membership specialist for the Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland. “As we sold cookies at our booths, people could purchase cookies to send to the troops. We asked people if they wanted to donate a few dollars to buy a box to go overseas. And, we got a pretty good response from the community.”
After greeting the troops, the Scouts filed out into the parking lot to deliver the cookies to the waiting arms of a member of the 414th MP National Guard. Each Scout hefted a box filled with Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Tagalongs and the always popular Thin Mints.
“Thin Mints are my favorites,” Sgt. Adam Thompson said.
Thompson said the donations to the 414th were greatly appreciated by the company.
“Army chow gets old,” said Thompson. “It’s nice to have something sweet to enjoy every once in a while. Any shred of home makes us feel appreciated.”
This is the first year that the troops from Webb City and Carl Junction have participated in the Cookie Share program. The Scouts say they’re happy to give cookies to the troops serving overseas, so that soldiers won’t have to wait until they get home to get these treats. Also, it’s a way to honor those who serve our country.
“The troops give stuff to our country, they give us freedom,” said Tiffani Roberts, 10, a Scout with Troop 26526 in Carl Junction. “This is our way of saying thanks and giving back to them.”
