GIRL SCOUTS THANK THE MILITARY.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

The 14 little girls in Brownie Troop 546 want America's soldiers to know that they appreciate their hard work and bravery.

So at Woodland Hills School on Saturday, the troop known as ``The Cute Kittens'' packaged 204 boxes of Girl Scout cookies with thank-you notes for the military men and women fighting overseas.

``The troops overseas are working hard to protect our country and have been protecting the United States for years,'' said 7-year-old Allison Royal of Calabasas. ``We are sending the cookies as a thank-you gift.''

Tiffany Wu, 8 and also from Calabasas, explained the project this way: ``I think it's important because the military people have to leave their families and might not get to see them again. It's important to respect them and still feel like they're part of your family.''

``I'm glad that the soldiers are protecting us, but I want them to come home soon,'' said Kyla Carter, 8, of Tarzana.

Other troop members, ages 6 through 9, included Avni Desai, Bailey Higa, Breanne Cooper, Catey Rudoy, Cayanne Marcus, Heather Hawley, Katelyn Haber, Lauren Donohue, Rachel Thommen, Rebecca Henry and Samantha Labrecque.

Marc Cutter, founder of Hands Across the Battlefield, a Burbank organization that sends donated items to the troops, said the cookies probably would not go to Iraq because troops there are on the move. But he said they would be sent to men and women fighting someplace ``where life is not wonderful.''

``I was an Army infantry officer in Vietnam,'' Cutter said. ``Burbank would send homemade stuff in film tins and when my platoon saw a film tin come off the helicopter, they got all excited because they knew there were goodies in there.

``As a soldier, you expect stuff from your wife, you expect stuff from your girlfriend, you expect stuff from your mother,'' Cutter said. ``But when you get a package from someone you don't even know, and inside there's a note thanking you for your time and effort - it just blows you away.''

Bonnie Higa, one of the troop leaders, said being a Girl Scout is about community service and giving back.

``Most of the kids in our troop are very fortunate and blessed in their lives,'' Higa said. ``As a leader, I think it's important for the girls to realize they have so much and there are others who do not. If you can make a difference in some way, you should.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Kyla Carter, 8, a Girl Scouts Brownie in Woodland Hills, writes a thank-you note.

(2) Samantha Labrecque, 7, of Brownie Troop 546 helps with the packing of some 200 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for mailing to U.S. soldiers overseas.

Joel Lugavere/Special to the Daily News