Girl Scouts collect school supplies for Iraqi children

Girl Scout Troop No. 633, third-graders at Piñon Hills Elementary School, are collecting school supplies for a program called Operation Iraqi Children.

The school supply kits are being placed in a box just down the hall from the school office. Donations may be through a check or through purchasing the supplies for each kit. The deadline for donations is the end of March.

"We will be using part of the proceeds from our cookie sales to purchase items for these kits," said assistant troop leader Sue Carne and troop leader Julie Gray. "We will also be having a drive at school to collect these same items from kids and families who wish to donate."

Operation Iraqi Children was chosen by the troop as their science project this year.

Operation Iraqi Children was founded by actor Gary Sinise ("Forrest Gump," "Apollo 13") and author Laura Hillenbrand ("Seabiscuit: An American Legend"), who saw the need for helping Iraqi school children achieve an education.

"During and after Operation Iraqi Freedom, American soldiers were horrified at the condition of Iraqi schools, which had been severely neglected under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein," states information on www.operationiraqichildren.org.

"Imagine sending your child to a school in which there are virtually no books, no pencils, no paper, no blackboards," said Hillenbrand. "This is the reality for Iraqi children. The future of the Iraqi nation is being squandered for lack of basic school supplies."

American soldiers have taken it upon themselves to gather supplies that are sent to them, and giving them to the schools, however the need is great with approximately 1,500 schools in Iraq. Sinise, Hillenbrand and OIC have partnered with People to People International to bring about the Operation Iraqi Children program. More information on the program can be obtained on the Web site.

School supply kits should contain the following:

-- One pair of blunt-end scissors

-- One 12-inch ruler with metric markings

-- One small pencil sharpener

-- One large eraser

-- One box of colored pencils (crayons melt in the Iraqi summer heat)

-- One package of notebook paper

-- One composition book

-- Three folders with inside pockets

-- One zippered pencil bag

Other items needed are backpacks or 2-gallon sized zipper seal plastic bags, new sports equipment or stuffed animals. Appropriate sports equipment might be soccer balls (deflated with a small hand pump), jump ropes and Frisbees. Please enclose no additional items.

Donations can be brought to the school, 1479 Stephanie Way, Minden, and placed in the drop-off box outside the office. Make checks payable to Girl Scout Troop 633, and mail to Sue Carne, 2651 Wildhorse Lane, Minden, NV 89423.

"The girls will collect the kit items and assemble the kits and then we will send them off," said Carne and Gray. "Of course they will be earning a badge as well."

The Girl Scouts next meeting is 3:30-4:45 p.m. Feb. 22 at Piñon Hills Elementary School.