MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- More than 900 Girl Scouts, troop leaders, military personnel and community supporters gathered on the USS Midway in support of Operation Thin Mint Send-off, May 3.
During Operation Thin Mint, San Diego Girl Scouts collected more than 220,800 boxes of cookies and hand-wrote thousands of notes to support deployed U.S. military troops.
“Operation Thin Mint is when you buy extra boxes of cookies so you can donate them to the Girl Scouts and we send them overseas to the men and women in the military,” said Madison Perno, top cookie seller.
Perno, 8, said she sold cookies in supermarkets, banks, at military bases, car dealerships, schools and door-to-door.
The Operation Thin Mint program was established in 2002, but this year was the first time the cookies will be sent to the Artic and Antarctica. The boxes are also destined for service members in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Africa and aboard ships in the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Western Pacific.
“Over the years the demand for Girl Scout cookies has risen, so we are always looking for new places to send them,” said Mary Doyle, the San Diego-Imperial Council’s director of communications.
Doyle said that she searched for a new location to send the cookies, and when she found out there were deployed service members in the Artic and Antarctica she immediately wanted to add them to the list of recipients.
APL Global Container Transportation Company ships the cookies in refrigerated containers so they remain fresh, said Doyle.
“The first container shipped out on May 6 to Bahrain where naval supply will distribute them to troops as far away as Africa,” said Doyle.
Since the program was established, Girl Scouts have sent more than 1,306,300 boxes of cookies to troops overseas.
Along with the cookies, thousands of hand-written letters were sent to service members to support their efforts in the War on Terrorism. Guests were able to write the letters before the ceremony. They were also able to participate in arts and crafts activities and explore the USS Midway’s museum.
Guests of honor included Brig. Gen. Angie Salinas, commanding general, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and Rear Adm. Len Hering, commander, Navy Region Southwest.
“I’m motivated today because right now I’m looking into these young faces and seeing the future of our nation,” said Brig. Gen. Salinas, a former Girl Scout.
American Idol contestant Mishavonna Henson also entertained the crowd by singing the National Anthem and Navy Band Southwest provided patriotic music throughout the ceremony. A seven-woman color guard representing all military branches presented the colors.
“The ceremony is held aboard the USS Midway because it is a former naval ship, and a good location for a military event,” said Doyle. “Many of the Girl Scouts come from military families, so it is nice to have that connection.”
Almost everyone in San Diego knows someone in the military—an uncle, neighbor, sister or family friend. So we understand that when someone is far from home, it means the world to receive a note to show we care, said Doyle.
"We can't express enough how grateful we are to the Girl Scouts of the San Diego-Imperial Council for their generous gifts. When you're stationed overseas, it is always a special treat to get a taste of home,” said Navy Capt. Jesus Cantu, 7th Fleet Logistics.
At the end of the ceremony, the Girl Scouts who sold 2,008 boxes of cookies or more in 2008 were escorted to a private helicopter that took off from the ship’s deck for a trip around San Diego. The crowd of supporters below waved their miniature American flags and cheered as the helicopter lifted off and ascended high into the sky.