Pittston City Fire Chief James Rooney, on his last week as chief, had the chance to meet and thank 8-year-old Cate Gallagher for her donation of Girl Scout cookies to the deparment. Gallagher is from Pittston Girl Scout Troop 33205. Chief Rooney is displaying the note left by Cate thanking them for their service.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Two area Girl Scouts raise funds for treats
Pittston City Fire Chief James Rooney was on hand to thank Cate Gallagher, left, for Girl Scout cookies she donated to the department and Krista Magyar, center, for her donation to other frontline workers. Both Gallagher and Magar, 8-years-old, are from Girl Scout Troop 33205, Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON – Eight-year-old Girl Scout Cate Gallagher, from Pittston Troop 33205, brainstormed with her mother Kelly to do something for those who serve the community in Greater Pittston. They decided to distribute Girl Scout cookies but not before asking the public to raise money for the project.
Cate and Kelly made a video and placed it on their Facebook page appealing to family and friends in an effort to raise money to purchase cookies. Kelly handled camera duty while Cate was the star of the video.
“I think it was a good idea,” Cate said. “We were looking for people to donate money, so we can get cookie boxes to give to the fire departments and police.”
The Gallagher’s efforts paid off by raising more than $250 enough to purchase 65 boxes of cookies.
Cate said they donated to Pittston Fire Department, Jenkins Fire Department, Plains Fire Department, Geisinger South and General Hospital.
“We also gave a box to the mailman,” Cate added.
Pittston Fire Chief James Rooney met with the Gallaghers to thank them personally at Pittston Fire Department Headquarters.
“I really do appreciate it, but they were good and I got a big belly now,” Rooney told Cate jokingly. “It was very kind of you and thank you very much.”
Fellow Girl Scout Troop member Krista Magyar, also 8 years old, saw Cate’s video online and decided to also raise money to purchase cookies for front line workers.
“My mom saw Cate’s video on Facebook and asked me if I wanted to do it as well and I said, let’s do one,” Krista said. “So we did one.”
Krista and her mom, Nina, collected approximately $170 enough to purchase 40 boxes of cookies.
“We donated to Gerrity’s, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital and Lehigh Valley Hospital,” Krista said.
Cate and her mom were tracked down after Cate left a note of thanks to the firefighters at the Pittston Fire Department without an address or phone number.
Rooney met with the Gallaghers of Plains and Magyars of Exeter just days before his retirement from the Pittston City Fire Department.
“I have to tell you, when I saw the note, it really touched me,” Rooney admitted.
