Tens of thousands of American Service Members are deployed in hostile and remote regions of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time.
Rainbow Stars Service Unit Girl Scout Troop 147, consisting of 13 girls in the 10th and 11th grade, wanted to do something special for the men and women who are serving overseas. They wanted to lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages. By way of a friendship with Command Sergeant Major John Ivy of 204th TAOG, they found the opportunity. The Girl Scout Troop gathered two boxes worth of goodies and added a healthy dose of morale support in the form of personal written and typed letters for the Troops to read. Including in the boxes was wipes, beef jerky, soup mixes, floss, drink mix packets, cheese crackers, cookies and more.
Mrs. Lisa Rickert, assistant leader of Troop 147, said, “Sending the packets to the men and woman overseas seemed like a small thing but the girls realized what a tremendous impact it had on the soldiers, especially the handwritten notes and messages.”