Sending Treats for the Troops
The Orange County Register | Written by Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee
This is the second year Girl Scouts have sent cookies to Iraq before the holidays.
TREATS FOR TROOPS: Susan Masterson drops off a bag of cookies as Judi Chimits, leader of Girl Scout Troop 1045, marks the drop off down and Daniela Barboza, 10, takes them from her during an effort among all the Irvine troops to send cookies to
1,500 Pendleton Marines in Iraq.
Irvine Girl Scouts send Treats for the Troops
The Orange County Register | Written by Jeff Rowe
Servicemen and women in Iraq soon will receive thousands of homemade cookies, thanks to the baking of several Irvine Girl Scout troops and the efforts of a San Clemente-based military support group. Scouts collected almost 9,000 cookies Saturday morning – all baked by girls in several Irvine troops. Last year, the scouts baked 3,500 cookies for those stationed in Iraq.
In all, about 120 girls participated in the campaign, said Judi Chimits, Girl Scout troop 1045 leader. The scouts’ cookies were added to about 6,000 cookies and other snacks collected from churches and other organizations by Words of Comfort, Hope and Promise, a military outreach group founded by Cynthia Martinez. She mailed the bounty in 312 boxes – total postal bill: $2,528.55. About 3,000 Christmas cards from scouts, schools, church groups and other organizations also were included in the mailing.
Martinez said the goodies should arrive in Iraq this week and be distributed to the troops. This is the second year for the cookie drive sponsored by Words of Comfort, which now is planning a Christmas party for spouses and families of Camp Pendleton servicemen and women stationed in Iraq. The group plans to host 350-400 families and needs toys for children and gift baskets for the military wives. It will be the third year for the Christmas party, which is expected to be double the size of last year’s event.
Operation Christmas Care Packages is an annual program hosted by WOCHP, in collaboration with other organizations. With the support of volunteers and contributors, we are able to come together to create care packages for military personnel overseas who are unable to spend Christmas with their families. Please donate to Operation Christmas Care Packages to keep this great program going each year, and to touch the lives of our brave men and women overseas.
November 26, 2006