Girl Scouts deliver 8,400 boxes of cookies to Cherry Point

Two very different types of troops found themselves under the same roof as 33 Girl Scouts from various troops with Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines paid a visit to Cherry Point to deliver 8,400 boxes of cookies to the troops stationed here as part of Operation Cookie Drop, May 4.

Celebrating its tenth year partnering with military installations, Operation Cookie Drop is a Girl Scout lead initiative. Girl Scouts selling cookies accept donations to send a “taste of home” and a token of appreciation in the form of cookies, to the troops serving miles away from their families, said Krista Park, communications and public relations director for the Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines.

“The relationship that the Girls Scouts have built with the military is truly amazing,” said Park. “It is wonderful to see how eager the community is to support the military and the Girl Scouts making this program possible.”

According to Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hedelund, commanding general, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, there is a connection between those in uniform. Whether it is the Marine Corps uniform or a Girl Scout uniform, when wearing it, a person feels that service is part of what wearing that uniform is all about.

“Everybody’s face lights up when they see cookies from the girl scouts,” said Hedelund. “Nobody can frown when Girl Scout cookies show up. It is a great way to break down barriers and really appreciate the relationships that we have both in the military as service members and with those in the surrounding communities.”

Through Operation Cookie Drop 2015, Girl Scouts from eastern and central North Carolina collected enough donations from the program to purchase a total of 78,348 boxes of cookies that were delivered to service members.

In addition to the cookies being delivered, the Girl Scouts also delivered more than 500 letters to the troops that were written from girl and adult members through the “Letters to the Troops” program.