Girl Scouts continue to help people at all times
The young women of the Johnston Girl Scouts, Cadette Troop 1149 kept to their promise of serving God and their country. As a way to show thanks to our local veterans, the girls donated 12 food baskets to the veterans living at Johnston’s own Operation Stand Down Rhode Island. According to Troop Leader Valerie Hohlmaier, the baskets were purchased with the troop’s cookie sale proceeds, personalized with a note of gratitude, and accompanied with a hand made pot holder.
Dee DeQuattro, director of communications and development at OSDRI, said that the organization’s relationship with the scouts is a close one. Last year, the Girl Scouts selected OSDRI to be their charity of the year, and that they appreciate all the connections the two groups have made.
“We are honored and thankful to have our partnership with the Girl Scouts and we think it’s great that the girls are getting involved to help our veterans and to understand the need in the veteran community,” said DeQuattro. “I think it’s so important that they have these little personalized touches in their baskets, so when that veteran family gets that basket, they’ll have that special little note that will really make their day on the holidays. There’s a lot of need for a lot of people around the holidays, but I think the needs for veterans is so important. You don’t know where that veteran may have been when they may have served, so many times veterans have a particularly hard time around the holidays because they remember those holidays that weren’t so great when they were deployed.”
The girls involved in this year’s donation include Charlene Hohlmaier, Mia Pereira, Cameron Pereira, Mia DiGregorio, Emily Klein, Leah Rubino and Kayla Desrosiers. They are currently working on their “Silver” award and plan on doing great things for the community in the coming year.
