Little 'troops' donate time to Soldiers, community

Courtesy Photo | Girl Scouts from Troop 3524 pose with boxes of cookies they shipped to Kuwait for Soldiers currently deployed in support on the global war on terrorism.  

FORT MACPHERSON, GA, UNITED STATES

04.03.2006

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

by Sgt. Alex Licea
Third U.S. Army Public Affairs Office

Fort McPherson, Ga. (March 28, 2006)-- Bleach, cans of cat food and boxes of dog biscuits filled a shopping cart pushed by three young girl scouts. Now, for most people, the girl scouts are associated with one thought: delicious cookies. However, for Girl Scout Troop 3524 their minds are set on raising money to help local animals.

The troop of girls donated over $100 worth of pet supplies and food to the veterinary clinic located on Fort McPherson, March 29. The food will be used to feed pets that stray from their owners living on post and for animals who enter the base from the surrounding community outside the base limits. Capt. Michelle Jefferson and Staff Sgt. Monique Hernandez, who work at the post vet clinic, welcomed Troop 3524 with big smiles and messages of appreciation.

"Thank you so much for all your hard work and time you guys have put into this effort," said Jefferson, who serves as the branch chief of Atlanta veterinary serves, to the troop. "This will be a great help for all of the animals."

Hernandez said the donation came at a critical time of the year when typically many pets stray from their owners because of spring and summer vacations.

"This will come a long way in really helping our stray animals," Hernandez said.

The girls, who sold more than 1,000 boxes of cookies to earn money for donations such as these, spoke about the thrill of giving back to their local community.

"We have fun doing it," said Bethany Thronhill, 9, Darby Ashe, 7, and Hailey Cassidy, 8, in unison. "We love to see the look on people's faces when we donate items," they said with a smile.

For the scouts of Troop 3524, this is one of a series of projects done in the past few months for the Soldiers assigned to the Third U.S. Army and for the local community in order to earn merits and certifications in the Girl Scouts.

"The girl scouts do many projects in order to not only help the community but to earn their badges as well," said Sabrina Ashe, leader of troop 3524 and wife of Command Sgt. Maj. Franklin G. Ashe, the command sergeant major for the Third U.S. Army.

Ashe started the troop last summer and was able to get enough girls to make a brownie troop scout, about four to five girls ranging from the ages of six to eight years old, in order to register them as a troop with the state of Georgia branch of the Girl Scout organization.

For both Ashe and co-coordinator Chris Cassidy, the experience of the scouts deepen their relationships with their daughters.

"Since our kids are home-schooled it is important that she (Hailey) gets involved in group activities," said Cassidy.

"My daughter and I have come closer together since I got involved in the scouts," Ashe added. "It was a new experience for me but I am surprised I have really enjoyed it."

In addition to their recent donation to the clinic, Troop 3524 is currently sending boxes of cookies to Soldiers stationed in Kuwait, where Third U.S. Army operates out of it forward headquarters in support of the global war on terrorism.

"Our girls are proud of what we are doing, and it feels good to give back to the community and its Soldiers," said Ashe.

For more information of how to join for the upcoming scout season contact Sabrina Ashe at [phone].

• Date Taken: 04.03.2006
• Date Posted: 04.03.2006 15:50
• Story ID: 5945
• Location: FORT MACPHERSON, GA, US