200 Girls Enjoy Summer Fun Programs in Etowah County

The Etowah County Summer Fun Girl Scout Programs, which served over 200 girls this summer, were held at two locations: Walnut Park Community Center and Gateway Community Housing. Everything the girls did centered around the theme, It Is Great to Be Me! and the Girl Scout promise and law. Each girl received a journal and participated in activities about feelings and issues that happen in everyday life and in their schools. The girls also participated in exercise each day.

The girls at Gateway Village had an instructor teach them Zumba, a popular new dance style of exercise. Girls explored their creative abilities by making many different types of things like appliquéd beach towels, decorated flip flops, painted wooden jewelry boxes and picture frames, as well as painted and designed beach cover-ups out of T-shirts, painted and decorated beach bags. They made bath salts and put in decorative bottles, made real lip gloss and even made bulletin boards for their rooms with boards and fabric and ribbon and buttons.

Girls were also taught how to help others. The girls at Walnut Park appliquéd towels for Thirteenth Place, a home for teenagers after one girl shared how she was separated from her family and spent nearly a year at Thirteenth Place. They also picked up trash all around the Walnut Park community center and school grounds. Girls at Gateway Village made one of all their crafts for a young girl with brain cancer. They also did cleanup project at the community housing.

Field trips were also a big hit this summer. Walnut Park girls went to DeSoto Caverns for a day of fun panning for gold, exploring the caves and water activities. Gateway Village girls went to Spring Valley Beach for a day of water activities and spent a day at Noccalula Falls riding the train, touring the grounds and swimming at the campgrounds. The girls were given kapers each day and the opportunity to make choices that gave them ownership of the program and the development of leadership skills.

Girls who attended the 21^st Century Grant day care program at Striplin Elementary participated in Girl Scout programs one day a week and Girl Scouts also partnered with the Boys and Girls Club by presenting Girl Scout programs with their girls one day a week.

Thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Gadsden and Gadsden Service Guild for sponsoring the Summer Fun program.

Photo: Girls at the Gateway Community Housing showing off their new jewelry

Oak Mountain Sophomore Earns Gold Award

Joy, a 10th grader at Oak Mountain High School, recently earned her Gold Award. Joy wanted to make a difference in the lives of local children attending the AG Gaston Boys and Girls Club programs. By developing an empowerment program and collaborating with professionals in the community, she was able to educate the children on many options they have when choosing a career path and pursuing their dreams. She and fellow Girl Scouts, along with volunteers from the Jack and Jill of America organization, held mini-seminars that related to career fields. Along with the seminars, Joy and her volunteers presented experiments that had to do with each career field so the children could receive a firsthand experience. Fields covered included medicine, writing, history, engineering, math and music. Each child received a notebook at the beginning of the week and had homework each night to research the next day's career topic. Through earning her Gold Award, Joy learned she had the courage and ability to overcome any obstacle, and that although she was just a teenager, she had the ability to empower others. Joy is the daughter of Adolphus and Diann of Birmingham.

Barber's Dairy Wins GSNCA Fishing Tournament

Pictured: Brent Suggs & Lynn Holt with their first place trophy.

The inaugural Bill Ireland Invitational Fishing Tournament was held August 13-14 on Lake Alice at Kanawahala Program Center (KPC) located in Chelsea, AL. Proceeds benefited the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama.

The tournament kicked-off Friday, August 13 with a Captain’s Party on the deck of Lake Alice at KPC. The Captain’s Party included appetizers and beverages with a silent auction. Following the 6 a.m. breakfast on Saturday, August 14, the tournament began with a shotgun start on Lake Alice at KPC and other private, local lakes.

Lynn Holt and Brent Suggs of Barber’s Dairy took home the first place trophy for 23.54 lbs of largemouth bass. Coming in second was Jim Parsons and Reed Rogers with 19.62 lbs of largemouth bass. Barely behind capturing third place was father/son team Dennis & Jackson Smith with 19.2 lbs.

Brent Suggs of Barber’s Dairy won the largest bass, with a weight of 7.2 lbs. Jason Parsons had the most fish, with 18 filling his ice chest. Coming in first for all other species was Jim Parsons and Reed Rogers with 13.27. Second for all other species was Bob Suellentrop and Jim Parker with .75 lbs.

The fishing tournament, started in 2004, was revived in honor of a wonderful Girl Scout supporter, Bill Ireland, Sr. This year’s event was chaired by Tom Clark, Alice Williams and Marjorie Davis-Trimm. Sponsors included Alabama Power, Barber’s Diary, George Barber, Jr., EBSCO, Ted Kennedy, The Ireland Family, Regions Bank, Servis 1st Bank, Talladega Superspeedway and Vulcan Materials.

Woodmen of the World Donate Flags to GSNCA

Pictured: Dennis Witmer, Field Representative;
Jennifer Parker, Community Development Manager for GSNCA;
and Marti Baldwin, Volunteer with the Whispering Pines Service Unit.

Woodmen of the Word recently presented two flags with stands to the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. One flag was donated to the Whispering Pines Service Unit in Walker County and the other flag will be donated to Kanawahala Program Center in Chelsea, AL. Woodmen of the World are the largest purchasers of American flags to donate to local organizations. The presentation was part of an annual Leaders Retreat, held at First Christian Church.

Troop 67 Gets to Know Vestavia Hills

Pictured: Vestavia Hills Councilman Steve Ammons, Reyna,
Samantha, Hannah, Barrett, Anne Kearny, Anna and Hannah

Troop 67 recently went on a Get to Know Your Community Scavenger Hunt as a part of their Bronze Award requirements. They toured Vestavia Hills and also met by Councilman Steve Ammons at City Hall for a private tour. The 5th grade girls learned a lot about the city, it's 60-year history and several upcoming projects and events with which Girl Scouts could help.

The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Junior can earn. This award recognizes that a Girl Scout Junior has gained the leadership and planning skills required to follow through with a project that makes a positive difference in her community.