From One Troop to Another - Operation Cookie

March 30th was a big WIN-WIN day for the Girl Scouts and our military personnel. For the fourth year, Girl Scouts of Nassau County is blessed to partner with DHL Express Global to send Girl Scout Cookies® -- “taste of home” -- to our military personnel serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and the military hospitals in Germany.  This year, some of our Cookies will be going to wounded warriors at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC. 

So far this year, Girl Scouts have sold more than 45K boxes of Girl Scout Cookies® to be shared with our military personnel.  It is a just a small way that we can give back to those who are making the sacrifice of service in the all-volunteer military of this era.  Since the beginning of the Girl Scouts in 1912, we have pledged to serve God and our country, and to make the world a better place.  During other wars Girl Scouts rolled bandages, collected scrap metal, planted Victory Gardens, sent cards and did whatever they could to support the soldiers and their families still at home.

None of this would be possible without our partnership with DHL Express Global. Since 2006, DHL has shipped over 100K boxes of Girl Scout Cookies® to the military. If Girl Scouts had to pay to ship even one box of Cookies to the military, we just couldn’t do it.  As much as we might want to help, we have a fiduciary responsibility to spend our money on the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, not on shipping Cookies to foreign lands. 

Because DHL Express Global is a company that gives and gives, we are able to support our military and our Girls.  After paying the baker, every dollar spent on Operation Cookie stays right here with the Girls Scouts of Nassau County.  The money goes into Troop treasuries, and it supports camping, program and training for adult volunteers.  It also helps to pay for girls who need financial assistance. 

Giving is part of DHL’s corporate culture, and we are so fortunate to be part of their giving family.  They are supporting our military men and women who are in harm’s way, while they are giving right back to our community through Girl Scouts of Nassau County.

And today was quite a party.  GSNC Board Member Cathy O’Reilly, part of the leadership team at DHL’s JFK operations, was here with her mom, brother and nieces.  Steve Meadows, Director of DHL’s Gateway Operations, was here too, along with his wife and daughter and at least a dozen more crew from DHL.  We welcomed Army Sergeant Mitchell and Army Second Lieutentant Kazmis, both who are currently on active duty and who have served multiple tours in the Middle East in recent years.  Jim Adelis, President of Adelis International Security, a good friend of the military and of Girl Scouts, was here.  He presented GSNC with a check for $1,500 for more Cookies to be sent to our soldiers, on behalf of his organization, American Citizens for Soldiers in Service.  Jim was honored by Girl Scouts of Nassau County last year in recognition of his leadership in the Trees for Troops project that, in conjunction with DHL, sends live Christmas Trees, along with other seasonal cheer and Menorahs to our military personnel serving in war zones. 

The Girl Scouts won today, and our soldiers will soon have a taste of home.  I only wish that we didn’t need to send the Cookies to people who are doing such dangerous work, so far away.  We all know that freedom is never free …