Girl Scout Collects 290 Boxes of Cookies for Soldiers

After learning that Duluth-based Hugs for Soldiers accepts Girl Scout cookies to send to deployed U.S. troops, a 10-year-old Girl Scout from Oshkosh, WI, sold 290 boxes of cookies that purchasers donated to the soldiers.

Sonja Karner and her father J Karner personally delivered the cookies to Hugs for Soldiers founder Angie Doerlich last Saturday (March 9).

Sonja and her father packed up the car with boxes of the cookies, and her dad drove them from Wisconsin to Duluth, arriving late Friday night. They met Doerlich Saturday morning at the Duluth First United Methodist Church Scout Hut to unload the cookies. Each box has a personalized note to a soldier on it.

Sonja solicited donations while she sold the cookies door to door and on the Facebook page for her mother’s antiques shop. Sonja’s mother Julie Karner owns Crescent Moon Antiques and Salvage.

“Hi, my name is Sonja. I'm a Girl Scout. I am sending cases of Girl Scout cookies to American Soldiers overseas. With your help we can raise spirits of men and women, away from home, during rough times. Buy one, two or a dozen boxes for me to send! For every case of 12 boxes that you purchase to be sent by me, I will buy you one box for yourself using my own money. I hope you agree that Girl Scout cookies are a great symbol of America and will bring a smile to the face of a soldier. God bless our American Soldiers!

Thank you, Sonja"

Her father presented Hugs for Soldiers a $50 check from a customer who was touched by Sonja's project.

Sonja also requested donations of Girl Scout cookies at the police department where her father works. Her father is a lieutenant with the City of Neenah Police Department SWAT Team.

A fifth grader, Sonja is a member of Girl Scout Troop 2373 in Wisconsin's Great Lakes District. Before traveling to Duluth, Sonja emailed Doerlich and informed her about the cookie drive and plans to make delivery. “I found your program online and thought it would be very cool and nice to send cookies overseas for the troops,” she said. “So I took on the challenge of selling cookies for the troops overseas.”

Hugs for Soldiers sends care packages to deployed U.S. troops at Christmas and all year long. Besides Girl Scout cookies, which are very popular with the soldiers, the organization also mails “Hearts & Hugs” Valentine cards, compiles Welcome Home bags, accepts donations of Boy Scout popcorn for soldiers, and collects food for a Thanksgiving Food Drive for needy military families. An Adopt-A-Soldier program is also available. 

Duluth First UMC recognized the Hugs for Soldiers ministry for 10 years of service in support of U.S. troops during services on Sunday, Feb. 24. Dr. Tommy Green, senior pastor, incorporated Sonja's story into his sermon.  

Letters from deployed soldiers were read thanking HFS and DFUMC for their support. Photographs, plaques, framed certificates of appreciation, and two flags that had been flown over military bases in Iraq were displayed on an information table.

Hugs for Soldiers volunteers will be accepting donations of Girl Scout cookies Saturday, March 16, from 9 a.m.-noon at the Scout Hut located behind Duluth First United Methodist Church, 3208 Duluth Hwy. 120.

For more information or to make donations to Hugs for Soldiers, visit www.hugsforsoldiers.org.  

~ Duluth Patch