Girl Scouts forge friendships with troops
BAINBRIDGE -- The weekend after Thanksgiving was cold, but that didn't stop Bainbridge Girl Scout Troop 1007 from standing outside Wal-Mart to take donations for their adopted medical unit serving in Iraq.
The girls explained to people what they were doing and handed out a list with items they were collecting to send to the 932nd Forward Surgical Team in Iraq.
"The community really responded," said troop leader Nicole Jarboe. "We shipped seven large care packages to them."
Jarboe is behind the troop's friendship with the surgical team in Iraq.
"I work with someone who was going to Iraq and asked for names and addresses. Every one of these people works on the surgical team. Each of the girls took one or two names. They write at least once a month, sometimes more often," she explained.
The scouts share stories about their own lives and hear from the 15 solders they have adopted.
"We ask if they are married or not, if they have kids and where they are from. We tell them about us and they write back," said Chevelle Tallman.
At their scout meeting Tuesday evening the girls excitedly opened a box they just received from their pen pals and found a huge stuffed camel with a camouflage hat. The note inside told the girls he was suppose to be their mascot and his name was Sam.
Most of the girls have received letters from their solder pen pals. Mariah Jarboe brought in a small camel and backpack she received at Christmas from her solder.
"It says Operation Enduring Freedom," she explained. "That's what they are doing."
The girls plan to continue writing to their pen pals and sending care packages. They will most likely ask for help from the community again at some point.
"It's pretty cool," adds Tallman.