Soldier Support Day a success

The Monroe-Woodbury Girl Scout Community’s annual Soldier Support Day, held every November, was reimagined to be a socially distant, “drive-by, drop off” event at American Legion Post 488 on Nov. 14, and was a colossal success.

In past years, Girl Scouts held their event at Sapphire Elementary School, where troops representing all age levels came by to make cards and crafts to add to boxes of all types of donated items for troops overseas.

This year, with the school unavailable due to COVID-19 restrictions, Girl Scouts held the event on the grounds of Post 488, allowing donors to drive through the parking lot to hand over donations.

Also new this year was the selecting of two local active duty service members to be the recipients of donors’ and the Girl Scouts’ efforts: Lance Cpl. Patrick McCoy of the US Marines and Spec. Harrison Houle of the US Army. The boxes each will receive will be shared with McCoy’s and Houle’s units, spreading the donations to many more military personnel.

As part of the reimagining of the event, organizers asked for donations using a “Just Add Water” theme.“We felt these types of items might be easier to ship,” said organizer Tanya Woods. “We stuffed 18 boxes and we couldn’t believe the imagination and creativity of our donors, who dropped off everything from instant oatmeal to instant potatoes, cup of soup packets, Raman noodles, instant coffee, teas, hot chocolate, water flavorings, coffee creamers, and more.”

The event was hosted by girls representing several Ambassador Girl Scout troops, the oldest level of scouting. These girls are all Monroe-Woodbury High School seniors, and have participated at the prior events, some as far back as during their elementary school years.

Younger troops also participated by sending over handmade patriotic cards to include in the boxes.

Some “drive-by, drop-off” donors also donated money to help ship the boxes to their final destinations.

“We’re grateful to Past Commander Currid and our friends at Post 488 for allowing us to have our base of operations on their grounds,” added Woods. “We always appreciate their support of our work.”

Also appreciative was McCoy’s mother, who stopped by with donuts for the girls and grateful words of thanks for their efforts. She asked for photos to share with McCoy’s 93-year-old great aunt, who had wanted to stop by and offer her own thanks to everyone involved.