The women of the Kappa Delta sorority and other students from WSU are helping local Girl Scout Troop 3701 collect blankets for those in need this winter as part of the nationwide organization, Project Linus, which began on Nov. 7. The Girl Scouts are Kappa Delta’s house philanthropy and they have worked with them in the past. Last year, Kappa Delta helped Troop 3701 start Project Linus, which collected 256 blankets total. This year, their goal is 300. Dominique Mesick, president of Kappa Delta, said she is excited by this year’s project.

“I always look forward to helping the girls start out with their community service projects,” she said. “It is very empowering for these young girls to get hands-on service, and it gives us at Kappa Delta the opportunity to not just break out our checkbooks to help with the community, but to donate our time.” The sorority strengthens their relationship with the Girl Scouts with other events throughout the year, such as cookie sales and hosting pumpkin carving nights, Mesick said.

This kind of positive interaction is important for the girls, who are in second and third grade, said Amy Troutt Rosio, the Girl Scout leader for Troop 3701 who also has an 8-year-old daughter named Alysha in the troop.

“When the girls see that other people much older than them are interested in helping others, it lets them know that people care,” Troutt Rosio said. “We’ve also had (student-athletes) help out with Project Linus, and it has been tremendous.” Troop 3701 participates in many other activities that benefit Pullman and Whitman County, such as the sale of their signature Girl Scout cookies, diaper drives and aiding the Toys for Tots charity. “We decided to collect blankets for Project Linus because it was something that people wouldn’t have to necessarily go out and buy,” Troutt Rosio said. “They could just be lying around the house.” Last year, the blankets were given to the Community Action Center in Pullman, and that is where they will go this year, too. The sorority and troop have actually collected more than 100 blankets already and they plan to reach their goal of 300 by Dec. 1.

“When you see children think about people other than themselves, it is very exciting,” Troutt Rosio said. “These girls have spent three years as a troop, and they impress me every year.” The blankets collected are given to the Community Action Center, which helps local low-to-moderate income families become self sufficient. Katie Hird, a family development assistant, works in conjunction with the Girl Scouts to support the CAC’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program this year.

“The Girl Scouts are a big part in helping us with LIHEAP,” Hird said. “I don’t know if a lot of kids their age are thinking about things like helping with the community. I could see right away that they were very passionate and had a lot of fun with it.” Troop 3701 and Kappa Delta will be collecting blankets until Dec. 1 at multiple locations in Pullman, including in front of WSECU, the Pullman Regional Hospital and the Kappa Delta house.