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U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett buys $1,000 of Girl Scouts cookies, delivers to first responders

April 17, 2020

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett bought and hand-delivered $1,000 worth of Girl Scout cookies in a show of support for first responders and the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians.

On Friday, April 17, the congressman met with fire chiefs and donated 21 cases of Girl Scout cookies – a total of 252 boxes – at seven locations of the Knoxville Fire Department and Rural Metro Fire Department in Knoxville and fire departments in Maryville, Alcoa, Lenoir City and the City of Loudon.

Due to protective measures against COVID-19, cookie booth sales had to end on March 16. The sale of Girl Scout cookies provides 70 percent of the budget for the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians, which has service centers in Knoxville, Johnson City and Chattanooga.

“We are so grateful to Congressman Burchett for his support,” said Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girls Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians and a member of Knoxville City Council. “The unexpected decline in sales has been devastating for local troops as Girl Scouts had already set goals about the activities they want to do throughout the year and were counting on cookie sales to meet those goals.”

Burchett, who represents the Second District in East Tennessee, wanted to do something to help both the local Girl Scouts and the first responders on the front lines during COVID-19.

“First responders always play a critical role in our community and especially right now,” Burchett said. “We wanted to show our emergency personnel how much we appreciate them. Being able to support an organization like the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians that does so much good for young people in East Tennessee makes it even sweeter.”

In an effort to make up the $1.5 million lost in revenue, the Girl Scouts organization is offering online cookie sales. Cookies can be shipped directly to homes, donated to first responders or delivered via local Girl Scout members once the measures regarding the novel coronavirus have been lifted.

For more information about supporting the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians, including the purchase of cookies, visit https://www.girlscoutcsa.org/.

About Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians

The Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians serves 46 counties from southwest Virginia, through East Tennessee, and into north Georgia. Service centers are located in Johnson City, Knoxville and Chattanooga. Each service center has a Girl Scout Shop, and the Knoxville Service Center is home to the Girl Scout Museum. For more information, visit https://www.girlscoutcsa.org/en/our-council/about-our-council.html.

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett presents a $1,000 check to Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians and a member of Knoxville City Council. Burchett bought $1,000 in Girl Scout cookies and delivered the cases to first responders in East Tennessee on April 17 to support the nonprofit’s cookie sales and the emergency personnel on the front lines of COVID-19.

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett delivers Girl Scout cookies to, from left, Doug Gwaltney, Eloise Yeomans, Chris Rush, Scott Dorrycott and Justin Gentry of Knoxville Fire Department #20. Burchett bought $1,000 in Girl Scout cookies and delivered the cases to first responders in East Tennessee on April 17 to support the nonprofit’s cookie sales and the emergency personnel on the front lines of COVID-19.

Alcoa Police Chief David Carswell accepts a box of Samoas from U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, who bought $1,000 in Girl Scout cookies and delivered the cases to first responders in East Tennessee on April 17 to support the nonprofit’s cookie sales and the emergency personnel on the front lines of COVID-19.

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett visits with Deputy Fire Chief Mike Caylor, who also serves on Blount County Commission, at Maryville Fire Station #1. Burchett bought $1,000 in Girl Scout cookies and delivered the cases to first responders in East Tennessee on April 17 to support the nonprofit’s cookie sales and the emergency personnel on the front lines of COVID-19.