Operation Cookie! Help Claire break her own record!
My daughter, Claire, is once again coordinating OPERATION COOKIE, a program to send Girl Scout
Cookies to US soldiers in Iraq. Last year, working by herself, she sent a record 3,540 boxes. This year she hopes to send at least 7,000 boxes.
Operation Cookie orders will be taken through Feb. 8. Cookies are $3.50 per box or $42 per case, but contributions for purchasing cookies can be made in any amount. All donations are tax-deductible. To order, send a check to: Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey (GSNNJ) -- Troop 208, Operation Cookie, P.O. Box 298, Montville, N.J. 07045. For details call (973) 402-9005 or e-mail OperationCookie@optonline.net.
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OPERATION COOKIE, run by 16-year-old Senior Girl Scout, Claire Marinello, is pulling in orders for over 285 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies daily. However, Marinello still needs to sell 2,500 boxes in order to achieve her goal of 7,000.
Marinello, who last year single-handedly sent 3,540 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to Iraq, has not only been selling lots of cookies this year, but she is also coordinating the efforts of 250 additional Montville Scouts, ages 6-18, to help meet the 7,000 box goal.
"I am so impressed with the efforts of these Scouts," said Marinello. "Early returns indicate that several of these girls, many of whom are in 2nd and 3rd grade, have sold more than 100 boxes."
However, in order to reach her minimum goal of 7,000 boxes to send to Iraq, Marinello has decided to extend the deadline to Friday, February 8.
"Claire and the Montville Girl Scout community have dedicated themselves to the OPERATION COOKIE service project," said Marinello’s Girl Scout advisor, Cathy Mahoney. "It seems that many people are just beginning to realize that OPERATION COOKIE is happening. By extending the deadline a week, it gives more people an opportunity to participate, and helps achieve the goal of 7,000 boxes."
Marinello recently became the only civilian to have ever received the New Jersey Army National Guard 112th Fires Battalion coin for "Duty, Courage, and Honor." Commander Sgt. Maj. Scott C. Lewis of the 250th Brigade Support Battalion told Marinello that he presented this honor to her for "Exceptional achievement in the undertaking of OPERATION COOKIE." Yesterday, Commander Sgt. Maj. Lewis called Claire to thank her once more, and to let her know how grateful the soldiers are for her efforts in coordinating OPERATION COOKIE. "You have no idea how special this project is," said Lewis. "It means so much that so many people are keeping our soldiers in their thoughts."
Marinello has received many letters, e-mails and DVDs echoing this same sentiment. According to the soldiers, the impact of such generosity is immeasurable. "You may not believe this, but the other day my soldiers and I were talking about foods we missed, and Girl Scout Cookies was one of them. Your generosity means a lot to us," wrote SGT Joshua Alston last year about the cookies he received from OPERATION COOKIE last year.
Marinello hopes to get Girl Scout Cookies to as many soldiers as possible. "With 150,000 men and women serving in Iraq, 7,000 boxes is still a small number, but by doubling what I sent last year, that many more soldiers will know they are in our thoughts here at home."
Also assisting OPERATION COOKIE 2008 are Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), and Agility Defense & Government Services (DGS).
"Shipping and distribution are the most challenging components of OPERATION COOKIE," noted Marinello. "Because I hope to send as many Girl Scout Cookies as possible to Iraq, I need a reliable and affordable means of distribution that can handle thousands of boxes of cookies. I am grateful to SAIC and Agility for their assistance and enthusiasm."
Since 2005, 8,412 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies have been shipped to US troops through OPERATION COOKIE. All proceeds from the sale of Girl Scout Cookies for Troop 208 go towards paying for the shipping of Girl Scout Cookies to Iraq.
"Girl Scout Cookies are an American tradition," noted Marinello. "Nothing says home like a Thin Mint."
OPERATION COOKIE orders will be taken through February 8, 2008. Cookies are $3.50 per box or $42.00 per case, but contributions for purchasing cookies can be made in any amount. All cookie donations are tax-deductible. To order, send your check to: Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey (GSNNJ) - Troop 208, OPERATION COOKIE, P.O. Box 298, Montville, NJ 07045. For more information please call: 973-402-9005 or email OperationCookie@optonline.net.
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