This month in Massachusetts, Girl Scouts showed that their iconic cookie sales are about far more than Thin Mints and Samoas. Nearly 14,000 boxes of cookies were collected and sent to U.S. military members through a special initiative called Project Care and Share, a program that combines tradition, community spirit, and gratitude for those serving the country.

On June 6, trucks loaded with 13,989 boxes—1,166 cases—rolled out of Westfield, Massachusetts, bound for Barnes Air National Guard Base and the USO. The treats will soon be in the hands of service members, offering them a small taste of home and a big reminder that they are remembered and appreciated.

A Tradition with Purpose

Selling Girl Scout Cookies has long been a rite of passage, teaching young girls how to set goals, work as a team, and develop entrepreneurial skills. But the program is designed to go beyond personal achievement. Through initiatives like Project Care and Share, scouts learn that success also means giving back.

This year, 1,771 Girl Scouts in Central and Western Massachusetts took part in the effort. Five of the region’s top cookie sellers were even on hand to help load the trucks, turning what could have been just another sales milestone into a powerful community celebration.

For Shaylynne Rappazini, a Girl Scout Senior and the region’s top seller for the Share and Care program, the meaning of the project was clear: “Every scout, every person, can make an impact in their own way,” she said proudly.

More Than Just Cookies

The Girl Scouts’ impact ripples far beyond their troop meetings and sales tables. Each purchase of a box funds not only Girl Scout activities and local projects but also allows customers to donate cookies directly to nonprofits and service members. This creates a cycle of generosity, where every Thin Mint or Samoa is more than a snack—it becomes a symbol of care and appreciation.

“The Girl Scout Cookie Program is about so much more than cookies,” explained Theresa Lynn, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts. “Through Project Care and Share, girls learn how to give back. It’s a gesture of gratitude led by the girls themselves.”

The message is simple, yet powerful: these young girls are not only developing confidence and leadership skills, but they are also learning the importance of service, gratitude, and community connection.

A Lesson in Leadership and Gratitude

By sending cookies to the troops, the scouts demonstrated teamwork, leadership, and an understanding of the bigger picture—that every small act of kindness, when multiplied, can lead to something extraordinary.

Watching girls work together to load thousands of cookie boxes into trucks was a reminder of what collective generosity can achieve. For the troops who will soon receive the cookies, it is more than a sweet treat. It’s a taste of home, a symbol of gratitude, and proof that even the youngest members of society can play a meaningful role in honoring those who serve.

Through their actions, these Girl Scouts have shown that purpose and profit can coexist, and that the true legacy of their cookie program isn’t measured in dollars or boxes sold, but in the lives touched by their giving spirit.