Girl Scout Service Unit 56-1 was commended by the Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate with House Joint Resolution No. 852 for its generosity and patriotism. During the Girl Scouts' 2002 annual cookie sale, Ronniejean Irvin of Oakton coordinated the Service Unit's "Gift of Caring" campaign to collect cookies for sailors on the USS Vella Gulf, which was serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. There was an overwhelming response as members of the community donated over 3,000 boxes of cookies that were transported from Fairfax to Norfolk by the American Shipping Company of Gainsville. The cookies were presented to the sailors of the USS Vella Gulf and its sister ships the USS Leyte Gulf, USS Peterson and the USS Elrod during the celebration as the ships arrived in port.