Words of encouragement.

Words of praise.

Words of thanks.

All of them can be found on 48 pillows designed, stuffed and closed with care by the members of Union County’s Girl Scout Troop No. 57.

The pillows were made — with the assistance of a quilting group from the Clemson University Extension Office — in April and have since found their way overseas and into the backpacks of U.S. troops.

“The pillows are just something they can stick in their backpacks and take out when they’re out in the field,” said Troop 57 leader — and recipient of the 2009 Union County Outstanding Leader Award — Kate Roberts of Union.

She is not sure where the pillows went after they left Union County with the assistance of South Carolina National Guard member and Union resident Bobby Hall, but Roberts is positive they went to where they are needed.

The pillows were taken to the National Guard by Hall along with other supplies like deodorant, socks, envelopes, candy, pens, magazines and other items members of the troop collected as part of a large care package to be flown overseas and distributed to soldiers who needed them.

“We had all sorts of stuff,” Roberts said.

She wanted to do a big service project like this with her troop for several months. Roberts got the idea to do the pillows and care package after watching an early-morning news show and saw a similar project.

She and the troop have collected food donations for local food pantries for several years as a service project but this year Roberts wanted to do something else.

“This was just something different,” she said.

No one in the troop, according to its leader, has any connection to someone currently serving overseas with the U.S. Military — this was just a way for them to give something back to some of the men and women who are giving so much to keep this country safe.

In the end, Roberts and her troop were more than satisfied with what they put together to be sent to U.S. troops.

“We made 48 pillows and I couldn’t tell you the amount of supplies we had,” Roberts said, adding the Girl Scouts had several boxes filled to the brims with items they collected to send along with the pillows.

Troop 57 hasn’t received any feedback from the pillows yet, but Roberts is hopeful some of the troops who received one will try to get in touch with them. Each pillow was marked with where it was made — right here in Union County.

Roberts and her Girl Scouts had a good time with the project. She and nearly all 31 members of her troop were able to complete the project during a sleep over at Buffalo Baptist Church.

“They had a lot of fun,” Roberts said.

She encourages other girls to get involved with Girl Scouts. Roberts said children in grades 5K and up can participate in scouting.

Anyone who would like more information about Girl Scouts or those who want to get involved should contact Roberts at (864) 426-8714.