Maj. Mary Harrington, of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Regional Airport, displays some of her Girl Scout badges she earned as scouts from across the area toured the military base Saturday. The scouts were introduced to female military personnel who spoke of the important life lessons that were taught to them during their younger years. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Members of Girl Scouts of Central & Western Massachusetts, including Brownie Troop 11929 and Cadet Troop 40067, donated boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard base, as part of Project Care & Share. The event took place at the base on Saturday.
The Girl Scouts have been donating Girl Scout cookies to the unit for the last few years, teaching the girls about giving and helping others, while also learning other important life skills through the Girl Scout program. During the group’s visit to Barnes, they talked with a few female unit members, some of who were Girl Scouts, to hear their stories of success.
Capt. Katie Gauvin, a member of the 104th Fighter Wing and the leader of Cadet Troop 40067, arranged the donation and is teaching these girls about the importance of community service.
“I’ve been a Girl Scout leader for the past seven years and it has been very rewarding to see the girls grow into independent young ladies with a laser sharp focus on community service,” said Gauvin. “Being a member of the 104th also gives me a lot of pride because the girls, several that I personally lead, make it a point to thank and support the men and women who protect them every day.”
“It’s a pleasure to see the community reaching out to the 104th Fighter Wing through projects such as these,” said Maj. Mary Harrington, Public Affairs officer, and former Girl Scout. “It’s always nice to see our next generation visit the base, with inquisitive minds, and leave with smiles and a better understanding of what the Air National Guard is all about.”
The 104th Fighter Wing is equipped with the F-15 Eagle. One mission of the 104th is Aerospace Control Alert (ACA), providing armed fighters ready to scramble in a moment’s notice to protect the Northeast from any airborne threat. The unit is responsible for protecting a quarter of the nation’s population and one third of the Gross Domestic Product.
