TURNER – Harley Bussiere is a 6-year old Turner Girl Scout who is hoping to sell a lot of Girl Scout cookies. Not all of her cookies, however, will be eaten by Mainers. Deployed servicemen and women will receive cookies as the central Maine Girl Scout Troop hopes to send thousands of boxes overseas.

Turner Girl Scout Troop 815 sold more than 1,000 packages of cookies last year. The troop keeps 67 cents from every $3.50 package of cookies they sell. Last year the money was used to help the Abused Women’s Advocacy Project. They still plan to help that group this year, but the recent Army Reserve deployments from Maine has given the troop another opportunity to show their Scout spirit.

The 11 girls in the troop, all under age 10, are hoping to fill military trucks with cookies and send them to America’s uniformed heroes around the globe.

“We want to send as many as we can. I would love to send one box to every soldier. That may not be possible but its our goal,” said Athena Bussiere, troop leader. “This way the soldiers can get a little taste of home.”

The Bussieres see this as a way of reaching out to Jeremy, Harley’s dad. Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bussiere was deployed last month as part of Auburn’s Army Reserve transportation unit.

Athena Bussiere said they are asking people to donate to help send cookies to the soldiers. They will also use part of the profits to purchase other items to send overseas.

Checks should be made out to the Kennebec Girl Scout Council and mailed to Athena Bussiere at 34 Holbrook Road, Turner, ME 04282. For more information or to order, call Carol or Athena at 966-3052.