BY KEVIN MCCONLOGUE
Everyone has been asked to buy Girl Scout cookies at some point during their lifetimes. 12-year old Mariska Robinson is also selling her share of Girl Scout cookies, but she is doing it for a special cause.
“I’m selling Girl Scout cookies for the kids at the Children’s Advocacy Center, and for the frontline workers of Tunkhannock and everywhere in our area,” Mariska said. “I’m really excited to be able to help all of these people.”
Mariska is a Cadets Girl Scout, belonging to Service Unit 331. She is called a Juliette, which means she is an independent Girl Scout that is not affiliated with any troop.
She has been involved with the girl scouts since she was old enough to join, and Mariska’s mom, Heather Robinson, said Mariska always has an interest in helping other people.
“She does all of this charity work by herself, she is a motivated young girl,” Heather said. “I’m at a loss for words, everything that she does is for other people, this kid never ceases to amaze me.”
When the time for cookie sales came around this year, Mariska wanted to do something special for other people. She picked two groups of people that are very special to her, the first being the Children’s Advocacy Center where she has volunteered multiple times in the past.
“I want the kids to be able to have a little treat when they are waiting for their appointments at the center,” Mariska said. “They are a very special group of kids who just need a little bit more love in the world, and I want to give them that.”
The second group she is selling cookies for, the frontline workers, is very close to her heart. The Robinsons’ have family and friends who are doctors and nurses that have been fighting on the front lines throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic, and they don’t want them to be forgotten.
“I want the frontline workers to know that we appreciate everything that they are doing,” Mariska said. “Taking this pandemic head on knowing the risks that are involved is truly one of the bravest things that anyone can do. It’s a scary time and they’re doing scary things.”
Mariska set a big goal for herself and that is to sell 1,400 boxes of cookies for these two causes. She has sold 154 so far, and has until Friday, April 16 to reach her goal.
“I’ve been sharing the link everywhere online,” Heather said. “She really wants to meet her goal, and anything that anyone can do to help is truly appreciated.”
If you would like to buy cookies from Mariska, you can go to her cookie sale drive link, at www.digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/mariska3838. The cookies run between four and five dollars per box, and the link can also be found on the Good Friends from Tunkhannock Facebook page under Heather Robinson’s post. To donate the cookies to the Children’s Advocacy Center or the frontline workers, make sure to click on the “Girl Delivery” button when placing your order.
“She really wants to hit her goal,” Heather said. “This would make her year if she was able to get to 1,400 boxes. We hope that the community will be able to help.”
But for Mariska, it’s not about individual satisfaction for her, “I like helping people that are in need, and making the world a better place,” she added. “That’s all I’m trying to do is make people feel good about themselves and happy.”
