During the Month of the Military Child, one such child has taken it upon herself to give a lot more than receive.
Local Girl Scout Rene Vollmuth, the daughter of Robert and Sheri L. Vollmuth, employees at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF), donated over 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to Naval Hospital Bremerton staff, April 8, 2021.
“We decided on 118 boxes, one for each year the hospital has been on land,” explained Rene.
The idea to donate to the hospital and especially the COVID-19 mass vaccination team was a brainstorm of combined mother and daughter inspiration. Sheri had been working with the mass vaccination team, helping to coordinate for PSNS & IMF workers, and Rene knew they would be a suitable selected group to support.
“From the history search we completed, NHB was established in 1903 at PSNS near Dry Dock 1. In 1909 funding was approved to start construction on upper base building at Naval Gate and opened in 1912. It has been a blast doing research on this local history,” added Sheri, noting that Rene was happy to be able to donate to people who have been working a lot, especially through a pandemic.
“The Girl Scouts for years have been donating cookies to the military,” continued Sheri. “This year she was able to donate to the military and hospital workers, an all in one team. Showing appreciation for both groups, who have served our country and supported the health of our military and veterans. Rene’s Grandfather was a Navy vet, who passes away just after she was born. Her dad was born at the naval hospital when it was at (then) Naval Base Bremerton. For this experience, she has learned some naval history and history about her family.”
A special allocation of the Girl Scout Cookies was set aside to specifically present to the hospital’s COVID mass vaccination team.
‘That was pretty cool, and delicious. It was greatly appreciated,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman Dawn Dillow, Preventive Medicine leading chief petty officer.
“It’s a ‘thank you for your service’ from Girl Scout Rene,” stated Sheri. “Rene started in kindergarten as a Daisy. She is now in sixth grade and a Girl Scout Cadette. Her goal this year was to sell 800 boxes of cookies. She well surpasses that goal and reached 1,500 boxes sold, with over 200 of those going to the military. Amazing work for selling during a pandemic with extra safety regulations set on the girls this season, such as no door-to-door sales, wagon sales, or store sales.”
The Girl Scout cookie boxes were even individually decorated with art work and thank you cards.
“It’s what we do. It’s why she is so successful, by going that extra step for others,” exclaimed Vollmuth.
For Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Steven Pitts, the cookies represent more than just a treat. They’re a vital piece of connecting to community.
“When deployed to Afghanistan, receiving cookies on base was a small yet tangible piece of home. Here, they show the continued support for our military and our youth from the community,” stated Pitts. “I thank all those involved with continuing to bring events like these to our troops and families. I know there is a lot of planning and work that goes in, and that had to be even more grinding with restrictions due to pandemic issues. I hope events like this continue to highlight the support from our local communities and the appreciation we have for the places we are lucky enough to call home.”
The box of cookies that Pitts chose? A no-brainer to him.
“Tagalongs. That’s simple. It is very hard to beat the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. But when you wrap that around a crunchy shortbread style cookie, that is true happiness,” quipped Pitts.
With April recognized as Month of the Military Child, the health and wellbeing of children like Rene is a top priority for the Department of Defense and Military Health System.
According to Sheri, the Girls Scouts have a program called Troop Gift for Caring, which allows for donation to local non-profits. Rene’s troop has also provided boxes to Bremerton women and children shelter(s).
“Rene was happy to see people, and see them happy. Being able to spread cheer makes her happy,” Sheri said.
Date Taken: | 04.15.2021 |
Date Posted: | 04.15.2021 09:22 |
Story ID: | 393902 |
Location: | BREMERTON, WASHINGTON, US |
Web Views: | 142 |
Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Caring with Cookies during COVID, by Douglas Stutz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.