Troop 20136 Gives Back

Troop 20136 gave back to the Girl Scout community by using part of their cookie money to purchase new items for Camp Cottaquilla. With help from troop leader Valerie Jones and assistant leaders Shavonne Rowe and Kayla Woods, members Alexia, Justice, Anna, Kristyn and Sabrina were able to donate a DVD player, TV and nature movies for girls to use in the camp’s Nature Nook.

Troop 6420 Volunteers at Chula Vista Camp

Troop 6420 of the Pell Creek Service Unit painted a wall outside of the swimming pool at the Chula Vista Camp in Pell City during a short camping trip. The Pell Creek Service Unit holds monthly leader meetings at the camp free of charge. They decided to show their appreciation by having each troop in the service unit do a project for the camp. While volunteering at the camp, the girls also spent time participating in several activities including earning the Brownie Hiking, Cadette Trail Blazing and Junior Camping badges.

Troop 20074 Donates Cookies to Soldiers

Jasmine (left) and Kaitlin (right) with some of the soldiers

Troop 20074 from Munford collected and donated four cases of Girl Scout cookies to Alabama National Guard troop Delta Company 1st and 167th Infantry Battalion from Sylacauga, Alabama. Junior Girl Scouts Jasmine and Kaitlin presented the soldiers with the cookies, as it held a special place in the girls’ hearts. Jasmine’s father, a member of the batallion, was amongst the soldiers being deployed to Afghanistan. Jasmine and Kaitlin attended a family dinner at the Sylacauga Guard Armory following a deployment ceremony at Sylacauga High School. The troop’s efforts were greatly appreciated by the deploying soldiers.

Troop 40125 Earns Community Service Patch

Pictured: District Court Judge
Tammy Montgomery (left) &
Troop Leader Veronica Davis (right)
along with Troop 40125.

York West End Girl Scout Troop 40125 earned their community service patch by working with the Stamp Out Hungry food drive benefitting the Children of the Village (COTV) Food Bank Pantry in Sumter County Alabama. In a collaboration with the United States Postal Service (USPS), the girls helped load food collected during the drive to deliver to the pantry. District Court Judge Tammy Montgomery, chairman of COTV, gratefully received the donation and hopes that the extra food will help local individuals and families that really need it. COTV greatly appreciates the USPS and Troop 40125 for their efforts.

Cookies for the Troops

Pictured: Jenella Lymon & Michelle Pepper

Girl Scouts collected 480 cookie cases Council-wide for the Cookies for the Troops program. Armstrong Relocation picked up the boxes for Soldier’s Angels to send them to military deployed overseas. Special thanks to WAY-FM In Huntsville for supporting this effort.

Troops Send Flags to U.S. Soldiers

On Tuesday, April 17th, 26 girls and adults from Girl Scout Junior Troop 20051 and Cadette/Senior Troop 20054 met at Jacksonville First United Methodist Church to fold 400 American flags and write messages to send to US soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

This project started last year as part of a Bronze Award leadership project for Junior Troop 20051. Stephanie Hurd, one of the troop co-leaders, got the idea from her father who was stationed in Afghanistan and received a pocket flag at a Marine checkpoint. The “Pocket Flag Project” was started over 10 years ago by a Boy Scout troop in Colorado. It provides a 2” x 3” folded flag for soldiers to carry in their pocket with a note of encouragement to remind them they have supporters at home. To date, the project has sent over 1.7 million flags to soldiers serving on the front lines. As part of their Bronze Award, the troop also learned how to be a model citizen and performed a flag ceremony at the Major Dwayne Williams Memorial in Jacksonville. 

Thanks to donations provided by the Bellsouth Pioneers, American Legion post in Piedmont, VFW post and VFW Auxiliary post in Anniston, 1,200 flags have been sent to active-duty soldiers in Bagram and Kandahar, Afghanistan by Troops 20051 and 20054. They would like to make this a continuous effort. For more information on this project, contact Stephanie Hurd at juniortroop51@yahoo.com.

Mountain Brook Girl Earns President's Award

Riva, a sophomore at Mountain Brook High School, recently earned a President’s Volunteer Service Award as part of the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards on behalf of President Barack Obama. 

Riva’s Girl Scout experience has given her many opportunities to give back to her community. She has worked at Rocky Mountain Day Camp for several years, worked at Service Unit weekends, volunteered at Girl Scout Word Thinking Day programs, helped with recruitment, and has aided in program delivery in the Girl Scouts’ Hispanic Initiative.

Riva is the daughter of Judy and James of Mountain Brook.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program recognizes young people across America for outstanding community service activities.

Cullman Girl Scouts Swim For A Cause

Pictured: Mariah, Madison and Cydni

On Monday, June 27 Girl Scout members of the Cullman Service Unit gathered for an Ice Cream Sundae and Pool Party at Nesmith Park in Cullman. Over 60 girls participated in the event and donated school supplies for tornado victims in the area.

Project Provides Shoes For Foster Children

Wren of Troop 1150, and an 8th grader at St. Bernard Preparatory School, collected shoes for several years to help foster children in Cullman. She planned to collect shoes for another year, but in light of the recent tornadoes, and the fact that she had already collected over 400 shoes, she decided to distribute the shoes this year just in time for school. Working with the Cullman Department of Human Resources (DHR), she set up a day for foster parents and DHR workers to come and “shop for shoes” for their children.
 

Wren’s idea for the project stemmed from her family’s own involvement as foster parents, when children often arrived without the basic necessities. The family started keeping extra shoes for the foster children that would stay with them, even if the stay was brief. Wren has been a Girl Scout for eight years.

Girl Scouts Distribute Tree Seedlings to Cullman

Leader Gayla Robbins, Olivia, Maisie, Shay and Kaitlyn from Troop 10215 in Cullman, decided to help rebuild their community by distributing tree seedlings. Many of the trees located near the resident’s homes in east Cullman were uprooted and blown down from the recent tornadoes. The girls partnered with Wallace State’s Horticulture Department and were able to get 100 seedlings donated.

Troop 66 Helps With Parents Night Out

Troop 66 of Forestdale volunteered at Children’s Hospital last week in support of Parents Night Out. Parents Night Out is an event by Children’s Hospital and AT&T Pioneers to give parents a fun break without leaving the hospital. Girl Scouts helped set up, assisted in serving meals to the guest and stayed after to clean up. The night was filled with games and clowns to give parents a much deserved break. Girl Scouts who participated included: Tamara, Dellyssa, Felicia, Danielle, Kanaiya, Nadia and Brianna, along with their troop leaders LaQuita Collins and Angela Jordan.

Girl Scouts Make Pillows for Children Hospital

The Juniors and Cadettes of Cordova Troop 357 stopped by the Children Hospital baring special gifts. Each Girl Scout made a fleece pillow to donate to a sick child. The pillows were winter themed, displaying a snow flake design. One Cadette went the extra mile. Kelley was generous enough to donate all her beanie babies to the hospital as well.

Memorial Day Cleanup

Pictured: (BR L to R) Jennifer, Emily, Kassey, Patience;
(FR) Ashley, Lindsey, Dolly, Courtney

Wadley Girl Scout Troop 20172 cleaned and decorated the Liberty West Baptist Cemetery (the Old Louina Cemetery) for Memorial Day to help two of their troop members earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award. The girls cleaned headstones, mowed the grass, removed weeds, moved tree limbs and picked up trash. They cut bamboo to use as flower holders and cut 100 artificial flowers, tied ribbons on them, then put a flower on each grave. Family and friends donated gas and the use of lawnmowers and weed-eaters. They enjoyed this project and would like to continue doing it each year.

Girl Scouts Clean up Kennedy

Brownie Troop 116 and Daisy Troop 141 held a community service project in Kennedy, AL on May 22. The girls spruced up the city council building by planting flowers around it. They also picked up trash around a historical building in Kennedy. Due to their hard work that day the girls earned a community service patch. Mayor Holsenback presented the award to each girl.

Troop 1004 Coordinates Leader/Daughter Tea Party

Pictured: Mandrea and Faith

On May 13, Troop 1004 in Cold Springs, coordinated a Leader/Daughter Tea Party. The event was hosted by the Cullman Service Unit and held at Living Faith Church in Good Hope. Attendees were asked to come dressed as their favorite princess. Several Snow Whites and Sleeping Beauties were spotted wearing their tiaras and gowns! Everyone brought new or gently used teddy bears to be given to local law enforcement, firemen and rapid responders. These stuffed animals were collected for children who have been in traumatic situations.

Having Fun While Helping Others!

On March 6, Whispering Pines Service Unit in Jasper celebrated Girl Scouts' 98th Birthday with a swimming party at the Natatorium in Memorial Park. Girls decorated cupcakes (and ate their creations!) and enjoyed swimming in the indoor heated pool. As a service project, the Natatorium asked the girls to bring new or gently used swimming suits to help provide for local childrens groups who are unable purchase proper swimwear. Special thanks to Donna Burnett and the girls of Troop 357 for hosting this event.

Cookies for Troops Campaign Hits Home for Girl Scout Cadette

Girl Scout Cadette, Claire knows the price of freedom. Her father is in the Army and has sympathy for all members of the military and their families. During Girl Scout cookie season, all Claire wanted to do was raise donations for cookies to send overseas to service men and women. “I wanted to thank our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by sending them a taste of home,” she said.

Claire thought of the idea to send cookies overseas last year and sent a few cases to a family member who was currently deployed to Iraq. Her goal this year was to raise enough money to send 200 boxes of cookies to Iraq and Afghanistan. Thanks to the generosity of many family members, friends and patriotic people; she was able to send 732 boxes overseas to our service men and women. Claire has had an immediate family member either on active duty, retired or veteran from all five branches of service and from every war dating back to World War II.

“With every single box of cookies sent, I am honoring my military family, the men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and saying a huge ‘THANK YOU’ to our Vietnam veterans who will forever have a very special place in my heart,” Claire said.

Outside of Girl Scouts, Claire loves to spend time with her family and friends. She also is very involved in sports such as swimming, volleyball and lacrosse. Claire believes she lives in the greatest country in the world. She is honored and humbled to be protected by our armed forces.

GSNCA CEO Celebrates Read Across America Day

GSNCA CEO Trish Coghlan had the pleasure of reading to Ms. Avery's 2nd Grade class at Faucett-Vestavia Elementary School this week in honor of National Read Across America Day. The students enjoyed hearing her read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. We thank Ms. Avery's class for the opportunity to encourage reading across Alabama!

United Way of Cullman County Annual Meeting

Gabrielle, Maddie, Allison, Lily and Lexi recently performed the flag ceremony for the United Way of Cullman County's annual meeting.

Shelby County Girl Chosen For National Honor

Girl Scouts of the USA has named Hanna, an Ambassador Girl Scout and a Chelsea High School Senior, as a 2009 National Young Women of Distinction for extraordinary leadership demonstrated through her remarkable community service projects.

Hanna was one of 10 Girl Scouts in the nation chosen for this honor. “This honor completes a goal I set in the seventh grade at the Atlanta National Girl Scout Convention,” states Hanna. “I sat in the sessions and looked at these young women on the stage describing their accomplishments and I set a goal that I would be one of these young women. I also hope the honor will bring more people to view my book about dyslexia, Help For Hanna, which can be found at web.me.com/hannajc.”

"The 2009 National Young Women of Distinction epitomize Girl Scouting as the world's best leadership experience for girls," says Trish Coghlan, CEO of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. "By discovering, connecting and taking action, Hanna has defined what it means to be a female leader in today's global society."

Girl Scouts of the USA and an external committee comprised of high-profile professional women selected 10 National Young Women of Distinction from hundreds of applicants who had already earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Each honoree has spent one to two years on a community service project that has far-reaching effects in her community and beyond.

For her Gold Award project that earned her this unique honor, Hanna wrote a book to explain the problems she suffers with dyslexia so that teachers and parents could become more familiar with the symptoms. Hanna did a great deal of research and conducted several interviews with experts on dyslexia. She was also responsible for raising the funds to publish her book and did so by participating in the Girl Scouts’ Fall Product Sale and using her earnings to pay for the materials.

“The most important thing I learned from earning my Gold Award was that you need others to help with large projects and that it is important not to procrastinate,” said Hanna.

Hanna will have the opportunity to attend the National Corporate Leadership Meeting, which is a meeting of GSUSA executive staff, GSUSA National Board of Directors, Council CEO’s, and Council Board Chairs. Hanna will now also serve as a National Girl Consultant to consult both National Board members and Girl Scouts of the USA staff members.

“I want to have a voice in the Girl Scouting Program, and being a National Girl Consultant will give me this voice. I have ideas for keeping older girls in Girl Scouting and want to share them.

Hanna encourages girls to stay with Girl Scouting because it allows them to be themselves.

“Girls are not judged by how smart or pretty they are, or if they go to a special classroom. Girl Scouting accepts everyone. They are allowed to develop their talents and by the time girls are in middle school, they run their own troop and plan their own activities. Girl Scouting gives them a place to express themselves and make lifelong friends.”