Nino’s is delighted and proud to support local Girl Scout Junior and Brownie troops in their Valentines 4-R Troops drive by hosting this event at our Troy and Clinton Twp. locations.

Girls Scout Juniors Troop 30318 and Girl Scouts Brownies Troop 74151 are on a mission to help Michigan military personnel and their families. The scouts are asking the public to visit their “Valentines 4-R Troops” booth at Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace in Troy and Clinton Township, Friday through Sunday, February 14-16 with donated phone cards in hand.

Sisters Olivia, a Girl Scout Junior, and Jade, a Brownie, are hosting the event, that they initiated themselves, at Nino Salvaggio locations in Clinton Township (17496 Hall Road) and Troy (6835 Rochester Road). Hours of the event are 4-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday.

At Valentines 4-R Troops, the young sisters hope to create care packages for Michigan military families that will be distributed by Operation Troop Aid. They also want to send Valentine’s cards and letters to send overseas to military personnel, along with phone cards donated by the public.

The scouts are asking the public to participate in any of four ways at the event:

• Donate phone cards, cash or Wal-Mart or Target gift cards
• Buy Girl Scout cookies
• Bring the kids to color Valentine’s cards and write letters
• Michigan military families may bring an empty stamped envelope, with the address of their military loved one who is stationed overseas written on it. The scouts will later stuff the envelopes with a phone card and Valentine and send off in the mail. If more envelopes than donated cards are received at Valentines 4-R Troops, the scouts will draw winning names, similar to a lottery, to determine the recipients.

Brenda, mother of Olivia and Jade, said her daughters thought of Valentines 4-R Troops when they learned about children being separated from their parents who are serving their country.

“Last year, they focused on cookies. They raised enough money to send 1,700 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to troops,” Brenda said. “This year, the girls want to collect phone cards because they were imagining how hard it must be on kids who want to talk to their mom or dad who are stationed overseas. They also want to raise money to not only send 2,500 boxes of cookies, but also send Valentines, phone cards and care packages.”

After the event, the scouts will purchase items for the care packages using cookie sale proceeds, donated Target and Wal-Mart gift cards, and any other cash donations received. Operation Troop Aid, a nonprofit organization, will send the packages.

Be sure to stop by the Troy or Clinton Township Nino’s during the following times to stock up on Girl Scout Cookies and help the Girl Scouts give back to our military troops: