ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. –
Girl Scout Troop No. 1501 of Prior Lake, Minn. made a visit to Andrews this week to show their support and respect for wounded troops coming through the base's Aeromedical Staging Facility. Since January, this dedicated group of girls produced nearly 200 tie blankets made with patriotic fleece. And, what started as simply donating blankets to our country's wounded troops in an effort to earn the Silver Award, the Girl Scouts highest award for their age category, soon became something much more.
Mackenzie Remick, Amber Scherer, Madeline Condon, Brittany Pederson, Emily Goldnick, and Hannah Vlasin, 14-year-olds, started by making a plan to do something for the nation's troops last January. "The girls came up with the plan to make fifty blankets and just mail them to Andrews Air Force Base," said Melissa Pederson, the troop's leader and wife of Lt. Col. Mike Pederson, CAP-USAF North Central Liaison Region commander. Colonel Pederson, a United Airlines pilot, helped make flight arrangements. "United Airlines very generously offered the girls and their mothers all free tickets to deliver the blankets in person. The girls then changed their goal and began making their dreams a reality."
The troop made presentations to community groups and organizations asking for donations of fleece, fabric store gift cards, and assistance in making the blankets. "They planned days to work on blankets as well as two weekends. The girls had a lot of fun at the overnight blanket-making parties," said Mrs. Pederson. "We hope the soldiers they meet will appreciate what the girls are doing for them and understand how proud we are of all of them."
The girls and their moms gathered Tuesday afternoon just outside the Aeromedical Staging Facility. As the buses approached, the girls cheered, clapped, and sang, "God Bless America." "The guys on the bus wanted to get the message out that they really appreciate it," said Col. Michael Young, 79th Aerospace Medicine squadron commander.
"We just want the troops to know we are thinking of them," said Miss Vlasin. "Just seeing their faces and knowing they appreciated what we did for them doesn't even match up what they have done for us."
"It's amazing that we were able to do this," said Miss Remick. "When you see them smile back and wave, it makes all the hours we put into this, pay off."
The girls enjoyed a base tour which included a tour of Air Force Two, a visit to Fisher House, and canine dog training. During their stay, the troop will also visit the monuments, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and Bethesda National Naval Medical Center.