Photo By Master Sgt. Gina Vaile-Nelson | Petty Officer 2nd Class Roosevelt Smallwood, a master-at-arms security sailor with the...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - For nearly 100 years, the annual sale of Girl Scout Cookies has helped young girls from an early age develop into pillars of the community.
Although Monmouth Regional High School junior Cassidy Murphy is no longer a member of the Girl Scouts of America, the values and discipline she learned during her nine years in the GSA is something she carries with her.
“I just wanted to give back to the military community,” she said.
And give she did. To the tune of approximately 168 boxes of America’s favorite annual fundraising dessert.
Every Saturday since early March, Murphy and her mother, Sylvie Murphy, weathered cold temperatures, wind and rain with Tinton Falls Girl Scouts in booths outside of local Dunkin’ Donuts, Wawa’s and other venues to collect donations of Girl Scout Cookies for service members.
“I thought the troops deserved something,” Cassidy said.
With two cousins serving in the military, Eric Post, a Marine, and Ryan Murphy, in the Army, Cassidy said she knows the importance of feeling supported and receiving things from the community.
“She made a sign that said, ‘Send a little home to our troops,’” said Sylvie. “At first people didn’t understand, but when we told them we were collecting for the troops, people starting to throw down money to donate.”
Using the project for National Honor Society service hours and as a way to mentor young Girl Scouts, Cassidy partnered with the USO of South New Jersey to make sure the treats would make it to troops.
On May 15, Cassidy delivered the cookies to representatives of the five service branches stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. As she handed over the cookies – including Tagalongs, her favorite – she was presented with a coin from each branch and certificates of appreciation.
“I’m honored,” she said after a brief presentation at the JB MDL Welcome Center. “I wasn’t expecting this and I’m truly touched.”
As the service members joked about who got which cookies, Cassidy and Sylvia smiled at their accomplishment.
“We’ve held these in our dining room for a long time,” Sylvia said.
“I’m glad to say my husband didn’t break into them,” she joked. “It was hard work.”
For Marine Cpl. Sidney Felber, a flightliner for Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772, the hard work was very much appreciated.
“It feels great for someone to take time out of their day to help us out and show us appreciation for what we do,” he said.
“Our job is to take care of the United States and it’s people and we are usually the ones going out there, lending a helping hand and taking care of the community,” he said. “So when someone comes over to us and wants to help us out and help our families and show their appreciation for what we do, it goes a very long way.”
In addition, Felber said it helps his wife, 2-year-old son and parents back home in Blaine, Minn., to be at ease knowing that the local community here supports him, especially now that his unit will deploy for a training exercise in the near future.
“It’s nice for them to see that there are other people out there supporting us, and it’s not just them,” he said. “You know to give them that assurance that they are not the only ones thinking about us all the time.”
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2013 21:25 |
| Story ID: | 107079 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, US |
| Hometown: | BLAINE, MN, US |
| Hometown: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ, US |
| Hometown: | PHILADELPHIA, PA, US |
| Hometown: | TINTON FALLS, NJ, US |
| Web Views: | 301 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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