Girl Scout Cookies Aiding Hospital Patients

by Jonathan Weaver

A Ford City Girl Scout is teaming up with other scouts tomorrow to not only sell the popular cookies in West Kittanning, but also collect boxes of the treat to benefit Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh patients.

Adriana Woodside, 6, is a member of Troop #20531 that meets in East Franklin Township, but she is also one of nearly 30 Girl Scouts regionally part of Team GSCOOKIES4CHP.

Adriana’s mother, Amber Toy, said her and her daughter met the team founder – Greensburg Girl Scout Emily Ruggieri – at Ford City SummerFest a few years ago. The pair of scouts has become fast friends and this is the first year Adriana is collecting boxes for patients after donating to the cause last year.

“It’s really an uplifting campaign,” Toy said. “The goal for these girls is to deliver these cookies and create a sense of love in the hospital. Even though that we know that this in no way will create a cure for cancer or any other disease that these children might be afflicted with, we know it creates happiness and they look forward to this.

“It’s a labor of love for sure.”

Ruggieri, daughter of late-Ford City resident Ethan Milliron (who passed away of osteosarcoma -bone cancer - in 2009), started collected boxes in 2014. Ruggieri, who is a third-grade student in the Greensburg Salem School District, collected more than 4,000 boxes for patients that year mostly through word of mouth in the region.

Ruggieri hopes to collect 7,500 boxes of cookies this year.

So far, more than 5,600 boxes of cookies from dozens of states and countries around the world – tracked through a colored map - have been collected in the first few months of 2016.

Emily’s mother, Suzanne, remembered that her-late husband loved the cookies – especially shortbread Trefoils – while he was in the hospital. She is thankful for the local support.

“We’re so grateful and thankful that Adriana and her mom joined what we do. It means a lot to us since (Ford City) has a personal connection to us,” Suzanne said. “To be able to have people there that support what we’re trying to do is huge.”

This Saturday’s local collection station - coincidentally held on National Girl Scout Cookie Day – will be held from 11AM-7PM at Mel’s Pizzeria along Butler Road.

The team is collecting donations and boxes until March 20 before first passing out boxes at the hospital in April.