NEWTOWN, Pa. (CBS) – Girl Scout Troop 282 in Bucks County is helping to remember a local soldier, killed July 17th in Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province.

Thirty-three-year-old Army Sergeant 1st Class Kenneth Elwell died when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Sgt. Elwell’s niece Katie Burkhard is a Girl Scout with Troop 282. To do their part, Katie’s troop dipped candles to be used at her uncle’s vigil service, planned for next week.

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“We thought it would be nice to make candles, since we adopted him and his troop,” said Burkhard.

Troop 282 would often send Sgt. Elwell’s unit cookies and letters of encouragement from one troop to another, halfway around the world.
Sgt. Elwell leaves behind a wife and two young children.

The details of when and where the vigil will be held are still being worked out.

Reported by Valerie Levesque, CBS 3