On July 7, Boxes to Boots teamed up with Girl Scout Troop 10626 of Manchester to put together 230 care packages to be sent to Poland and the Middle East. Troop 10626 did tons of fundraising to raise enough money to buy 300 boxes of Girl Scout cookies with the goal of sending them to our troops overseas.

I consider this to be one of our most special shipments, and not only because of the Girl Scouts’ efforts. Troop members and twin sisters Avonlea and Adelaide’s father is stationed in the Middle East and his unit will be receiving 100 of the care packages packed with the help of his daughters. The girls shared that their dad loves receiving candy, and that it’s 130 degrees at his base.

The Girl Scouts were all very excited to help pack boxes, and each box received homemade cards from kids in our community. Because of the volume of boxes, we needed help transporting them to the post office. I sent a message out on social media and we received an overwhelming amount of people willing to donate their time and trucks.

This is what it’s all about, showing our troops that their community supports them! It was a great community effort.

Boxes to Boots will host a golf tournament fundraiser at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield on Sept 20 to help make shipments like these possible. We are still looking for golfers and company sponsors. Visit.boxestoboots.org.

Kristen Gauvin is president of Berlin-based Boxes to Boots.