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The magic of apple pie

| 19 Nov 2015 | 01:30
    Cadette Troop 555, from the left: Julia Braunagel, Sarah Molino, Julia Fischbein, Alexis DeLeo, Julia Andersen, Isabella Friedman, Shannon Dove and Abby Auty.
    Cadette Troop 555, from the left: Julia Braunagel, Sarah Molino, Julia Fischbein, Alexis DeLeo, Julia Andersen, Isabella Friedman, Shannon Dove and Abby Auty.
    Ambassador Troop 576, from the left: Kayla Wisnewski, Allison Gardener, Samantha Giler, Julia Leggett and Ariana Strauss.
    Ambassador Troop 576, from the left: Kayla Wisnewski, Allison Gardener, Samantha Giler, Julia Leggett and Ariana Strauss.
    Cadette Troop 640, from the left: Madison Kreisher, Moira Delaney and Isabelle Woods. Pies were also baked by Madelyn Bacsardi and Chloe Saldanha.
    Cadette Troop 640, from the left: Madison Kreisher, Moira Delaney and Isabelle Woods. Pies were also baked by Madelyn Bacsardi and Chloe Saldanha.
    Ambassador Troop 502, from the left: Alaina Neubauer, left, Abby Ridgeway, Danielle Gonzalez-Wu and Heleena Anastos. Other troop members are Allison Backus, Angeliwue Atlas and Lauren Walsh.
    Ambassador Troop 502, from the left: Alaina Neubauer, left, Abby Ridgeway, Danielle Gonzalez-Wu and Heleena Anastos. Other troop members are Allison Backus, Angeliwue Atlas and Lauren Walsh.
    Cadette Troop 388: Meghan Jezik, left, Gabrielle Schnaars and Allie Ampel.
    Cadette Troop 388: Meghan Jezik, left, Gabrielle Schnaars and Allie Ampel.
    Senior Troop 383, from the left: Angelica Vebeno, Grace Vardicapane, Alexa Trinkle, Hanna West, Elena Kelbley, Jenna Walsh, Kyra Iannuzzi and Tessa Lytle.
    Senior Troop 383, from the left: Angelica Vebeno, Grace Vardicapane, Alexa Trinkle, Hanna West, Elena Kelbley, Jenna Walsh, Kyra Iannuzzi and Tessa Lytle.
    Cadette Troop 332, from the left: Hailey Chapman, Giuliana Cioffi, Lindsey Wilkinson, Julia Pierce, Kaitlyn Nolan, Madeline Portney, Allison Nolan and Phoebe Miale.
    Cadette Troop 332, from the left: Hailey Chapman, Giuliana Cioffi, Lindsey Wilkinson, Julia Pierce, Kaitlyn Nolan, Madeline Portney, Allison Nolan and Phoebe Miale.
    Cadette Troop 275: Back row, from the left: Dana Cambell, Kathleen Coyle, Caroline Auerfeld and Sophia Giler. Front row: Samantha Hamel, Bridget Quiroga, Lindsay Hinkleman and Mia Diaz.
    Cadette Troop 275: Back row, from the left: Dana Cambell, Kathleen Coyle, Caroline Auerfeld and Sophia Giler. Front row: Samantha Hamel, Bridget Quiroga, Lindsay Hinkleman and Mia Diaz.
    Cadette Troop 207: Daniella Ruotolo, left, Jasmine Kwinn and Taina Davila.
    Cadette Troop 207: Daniella Ruotolo, left, Jasmine Kwinn and Taina Davila.
    Cadette Troops 190 and 561: Sophia Lotito, left, Annabelle Hairston, Jaelyn Staiano, Gia Bufalini and Emily Rita.
    Cadette Troops 190 and 561: Sophia Lotito, left, Annabelle Hairston, Jaelyn Staiano, Gia Bufalini and Emily Rita.

MONROE — With less than a week until Thanksgiving, area groups and organizations continue to work to remember those less fortunate and help them to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Volunteers representing area food pantries are boxing up all the fixings to remember those in need with local veterans groups continuing to accept turkeys to give out to disadvantaged vets.

And sometimes, giving thanks for what one has and understanding there are many "going without" is represented in a simple, homemade apple pie.

That was thenThat's seen in the Monroe Girl Scout Community's 2015 "Operation Apple Pie" project. Last year, 16 young women, members of Senior Girl Scout Troops 569 and 576, took on the project as the final part of their Girl Scout "Sow What?" Leadership Journey, peeling enough apples to make 100 apple pies for the Monroe Food Pantry for Thanksgiving.

The project was so meaningful to those troops' leaders that they asked the full Girl Scout community to continue the tradition of pie baking and supply the food pantry with enough pies for its annual Thanksgiving distribution, which takes place tomorrow, Nov. 21.

This is nowTroops responded to the call, with Troops 190, 202, 207, 273, 275, 307, 333, 383, 388, 502, 555, 576, 624, 640 and 753 baking 115 pies as of Wednesday evening.

As this paper went to press, other troops were assisting in the effort, so that number will surely grow.

The troops used the same recipe so all pies were the same, even if the clean-up in the kitchens used to bake those pies was different.

How this helpsWhat held true last year still holds true this year. The Monroe Food Pantry, for example, budgets about $2.50 or so to add a pie into its Thanksgiving distribution. Now, that $2.50 figure can be reallocated to buy food at approximately 16 cents or so a pound through the Hudson Valley Food Bank.

That's a couple thousand pounds of food to help the hungry.

And that's the magic of what apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, all- purpose flour, pie crusts and a pinch of salt can do, while providing a teachable moment to many community girls that's it's always better to give as much as it is to give thanks.

The Photo News is pleased to show off the outstanding baking skills of these young women to reinforce there really is much in this community to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season.

To see the photos of all the troops who provided pictures of their baking work, visit: http://www.thephoto-news.com/.

There are many, many good people and organizations working to help others. It's not just Girl Scouts.

They'd be glad to have your help.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family from The Photo News.

- Nancy Kriz