Daisy Troop 27074 of Jeanette has been working on projects throughout the year to show their appreciation for our nation's military. And now they're even getting some help from Girl Scout Flat Daisy, who has been sent to spread cheer to a U.S. Army platoon with the 110th Infantry Regiment stationed in Jordan.
The girls' work to honor military and veterans started in November when the troop hosted their second annual Veteran's Day event, "Holding the Hand of My Hero." Each girl invited a family member or friend who is a veteran to join them for an evening of patriotic songs, readings and activities honoring U.S. military and veterans. The girls made sure each veteran left with a handmade craft, thank you card, patch--and a feeling of appreciation for their service.
That inspired the troop to find a way to extend their appreciation to active duty military deployed overseas. Troop Leader Jaclyn Robinson works with two soldiers serving with the 110th Infantry Regiment, one of them in a platoon that's currently deployed in Jordan. So she reached out to her co-worker's wife--who happens to be Miss Westmoreland County 2017--to help the troop send Valentine packages to the platoon. The 21 girls in the troop created Valentine cards and filled boxes with candy, stickers and self-inflating balloons.
The troop also decided to send Flat Daisy to their "adopted" platoon to keep them company while they are away from their homes and loved ones.
"Flat Daisy and the Valentine boxes just arrived to them and they are already
making plans for her adventures!" said Robinson. The platoon and Flat Daisy are just outside Jordan's capital city of Amman, and will be traveling through Europe and parts of the United States as they make their way back to western Pennsylvania later this year.
"Our ultimate goal is to let the girls show their appreciation for our
military personnel and to teach them about the sacrifices our heroes make for
our country," said Troop Leader Jaclyn Robinson, "And most importantly to let them do all of this in their own
age-appropriate way."
