Scouts help to brighten holiday for soldiers

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Local girl scout troop sends holiday greetings overseas

There may not be many Christmas trees in Iraq, but 101 soldiers currently stationed near Nasiriyah will have their own ornaments anyway, to serve as a reminder that someone is thinking about them this holiday season.

Packages with personalized cards, hand-painted holiday ornaments, decks of playing cards, toiletries and treats like hot chocolate and Oreos will be shipped overseas by the 32 Girl Scouts of Cranbury's Troop 1467 as a result of eighth-grader Anna Coppotelli's Silver Award project.

"It makes me feel really touched because I know that they know we're here supporting them and we care for them," Anna said. "It's just really touching to know that they appreciate what we do for them and that they know we appreciate what they do for us."

On Sunday, troop members worked busily decorating wooden ornaments and writing personalized notes, one for each soldier. And it wasn't the first time the girls had done this for the men and women in this squadron.

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