Operation Thin Mint

Well, it's that time of year again in San Diego and Imperial counties. My daughter has informed me that it's time for Girl Scout cookies. However, out here the Girl Scout council does a twist on this that I think is really nice. It's called Operation Thin Mint, and the military sounding name should give you an idea as to who the beneficiaries are. That' right! Our Girl Scout Council has found a tangible way to support our troops...

In addition to cookies for themselves, purchasers also have the option of sending one or more boxes of cookies to the troops, and it is tax deductible. The girls also have notecards that people can fill out to just send pictures or notes of support to the troops as well. If you'd or your kids would like to send a note, these can be downloaded from the link above. The country may be divided on the war itself, but I think we all agree that our troops need to know that we appreciate the sacrifices they are making.

I was researching OTM on the web and saw that some of the information out there is out of date, so I wanted to post current and correct information. I went right to the Girl Scout Council for all the details.

First off, contrary to some articles I have seen, the cookies benefit service men and women from all over, not just San Diego. And the cookies are shipped into war zones. Witness this comment by one of the recipients:

“The expressions of gratitude and words of encouragement you sent with the cookies brought joy to the hearts of many soldiers in Afghanistan.”—Jason Endres, 209TH Military Police

Second, even though it is called Operation Thin Mint, they get a variety of flavors sent to them.

Third, this program is an initiative of the San Diego-Imperial Council. Other councils may be doing their own thing. I know of at least one troop that took the initiative. But OTM is just here. Your best bet to find out whether or not you have a local option is to go to the council finder page.

If your local council or troop doesn't offer an option for doing something nice for the troops, contact the San Diego-Imperial Council to see how you can get involved!