Troops supporting troops: Girl Scout cookies are a tasty motivator overseas
By Rachel Friederich, Serve Washington Communications
CLARKSTON--The Girl Scouts of Clarkston Service Unit are making a meaningful impact-- one box of cookies at a time. Through their annual fundraiser, these young volunteers are helping to support deployed U.S. military troops around the world by offering patrons the option to buy and donate Girl Scout Cookies to service members overseas.
With approximately 130 Girl Scouts ranging from kindergarteners to high school seniors, the Clarkston Service Unit takes this initiative to heart. In 2024 alone, they successfully donated 3,500 boxes of cookies to U.S. military personnel stationed in various locations, bringing a comforting taste of home to those serving abroad.
This tradition has a personal connection to Brian Newberry, CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. A former Air Force pilot, Newberry recalls being deployed overseas during the winter of 2011-2012, feeling particularly homesick around the holidays. That feeling changed when he received a care package containing a familiar treat-Thin Mints.
"I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself, and I was in a better mood because those cookies showed up on my doorstep," Newberry said. "It means a lot to me as a veteran. The Fairchild Air Force Base tankers fly overseas, and as the Airmen head out the door, sometimes a cookie box is the last thing they get before boarding the jet heading overseas. I was out there on the front lines in 2012, and some Thin Mint Cookies arrived in a care package, and that made all the difference in the world."
The Clarkston Girl Scouts have kept this spirit alive, making their cookie donations a cherished event each year. Their generosity has reached troops stationed in places like Korea and Poland, supporting U.S. forces in Ukraine. They've even sent cookies closer to home, brightening the days of those aboard a submarine docked in Puget Sound.
"Over the years, the Girl Scouts and volunteers of Asotin County inspire those around them to give from the heart to those who valiantly serve our country," Newberry said.
Their goodwill also extends beyond the military. When wildfires ravaged parts of Eastern Washington last year-including Asotin County-Girl Scouts stepped up once again. They sent cookies to exhausted firefighters at fire camps, lifting spirits and showing appreciation for those on the front lines of disaster relief.
"These Girl Scouts impact a whole community, passing out cookies to so many organizations," Newberry said. "They help numerous organizations know they are appreciated, and the Girl Scouts feel so good to be successful passing out donated cookies and seeing the impact of inspiring donations. It's a win-win-win impact."
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