Spotlight!
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After supporting Sojourner House, a Pittsburgh-based residential rehab facility for addicted moms and their children, via community service projects throughout the year, Troop 50658 attended the facility's April 22 Victorian Tea "friendraiser" at the Priory, in the North Side section of Pittsburgh.
“Don’t forget to use your Canvas Bag!” is the message Mt. Lebanon Girl Scouts shared with their community. Girl Scouts in Mt. Lebanon reminded everyone of the importance of using eco-friendly reusable bags at the annual Earth Day Celebration in Mt. Lebanon’s Main Park on Saturday, April 28. During the event, Girl Scouts broke out into a ‘flash mob’ dance, complete with canvas bags! As part of this Forever Green Take Action Project, coordinated by Troop 51433, the girls diligently practiced the dance at a series of rehearsals. But anyone with an eco-friendly bag was welcome to jump in, dance and sing along! Girl Scouts have been an integral part of Mt. Lebanon’s Earth Day since its inception and plan to continue to Take Action to keep Mt. Lebanon GREEN!
-Submitted by Lisa Brown and Andrea Reichenfeld
Girl Scout Daisy Jayla Davis presents a check for $125 to representatives from the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh. Along with the help of sister Girl Scouts from troop 54284, Jayla was inspired to help homeless children and collected goods and monetary donations for this charity. One little girl can make a difference! Great work Jayla!
Girl Scout Troop 20658 from the Portersville area collected phone books to recycle for their 100th Anniversary Challenge. They set out to collect 100 phone books, and ended up collecting more than 280! The girls collected, counted, stacked and packed the phone books to be taken to Greenstar Recycling.
-Submitted by Carla Dietz, Troop Leader, Troop #20658
Girl Scouts from the Local Bushy Run Service Unit attended a Color Guard workshop at Penn Trafford High School. The Girl Scouts will be the first group to perform in Penn Trafford's Band Show on April 21.
-Submitted by Angela Bender
To celebrate the 100th Birthday of Girl Scouting, Troop 30707 of St. James AME Church in Erie held a bowling birthday party. The girls made hand-crafted butterflies for our Sister Troop 30421's Butterfly Project, and each of our Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes brought baby and toddler items to donate to Erie's MultiCultural Resource Center's daycare program. Turning 100 was loads of fun!
Submitted by Lisa Totleben, Leader, Troop 30707
Myranda Johnson carefully pipes peanut butter filling into a cupcake last night as part of a friendly Girl Scout cupcake competition at Immaculate Conception Church Hall. The Daisy, Brownie and Junior troops from John F. Kennedy School held the event in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting. (Photo by Liz Rogers / Observer-Reporter)
Listen to Girl Scout Troop 11150 Essays
http://neighborhoodvoices.org/yes-girl-scout-troop-11150-essays
Troop 11150 is completing their Media Journey by exploring all forms of media and considering how its influence affects choices the troop makes. They’ve had special guests at troop meetings , they’ve gone on media-focused field trips, and attended fashion shows to explore branding, marketing and more.
Troop 11150 recently shared stories, essays and experiences of being members of Girl Scouts, live on the Saturday Light Brigade.
Girl Scout Junior Troop 20264 of Coudersport collected 100 clothing items and more than 100 soda can tops to complete their 100th Anniversary Challenge. They also joined Girl Scout Brownie Troop 20736
and two independent Girl Scout Cadettes to tie 100 green ribbons around town during Girl Scout Birthday week.
Troop 43101 saw their Bronze Award project as the perfect opportunity to contribute to the local community through a Park Clean Up in Marion Center. The work began at the end of May 2011 and continued into June 2011. The girls spent many hours scrubbing, sanding, and painting. Each of the seven girls completed their 15 hours needed to fulfill the requirements for their Bronze Awards. Several did more than 15 hours with all of the research, prep work and clean up. Four wooded pieces of playground equipment were repainted. Two metal pieces, the “flying saucer” and the merry-go-round took many hours of sanding and several coats of paint. A swing was rehung and several picnic tables were sanded to remove multiple spots of graffiti and then were restained.
Upon completion of their service hours, the girls planned a picnic at the Marion Center Community Park with their families. They invited their GSWPA membership manager and the members of the Marion Center Park Board to celebrate their achievements that included team work, perseverance, leadership, community relations and personal values.
In honor of Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary, Troop 54212 completed their own “Vision for the Future” Challenge. The troop collected more than 100 pairs of eyeglasses to be sent to people in developing nations in less than three months.
Submitted by: Denise Cochenour
Leader, Troop 54212
Girl Scouts are celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year – and so is the community of Mt. Lebanon. Recognizing this important milestone for both, the Commissioners of Mt. Lebanon invited middle and high-school aged Girl Scouts to a recent commission meeting. The girls met their Commissioners and toured the municipal building; and then attended a Commission meeting. On the agenda were items of interest to Girl Scouts: environmental sustainability and recycling. During the discussion, Girl Scouts were recognized by the community for contributing to the development and implementation of the annual Mt. Lebanon Earth Day Event. Girl Scouts were also recognized for their work in affixing ‘Only Rain Down the Drain’ placards to storm drains in order to help prevent pollution of the local watershed. Commissioners encouraged the girls to continue to play an active leadership role in the ‘greening’ of our community. The girls presented each commissioner with a box of Girl Scout cookies – and reminded them to recycle the packaging!
Panera Bread hosted a Girl Scout Bake at its McKnight Road location on Friday, February 24. The goal of the event was to teach the Girl Scouts the ways that Panera gives back to the community and to allow them to do the same. Fifteen Girl Scouts baked their own loaf of fresh artisan bread that they were then able to personally donate to Devas Simmons, a volunteer for House of Hope, a non-profit organization in East Liberty. House of Hope receives all unsold Panera baked goods every Friday as part of Panera’s Day-End Dough-Nation program. Panera bakers led the girls on a tour through the kitchens of the café while explaining their duties on how they work overnight to bake fresh breads and pastries for the next day.
A large contingency of Mt. Lebanon Girl Scouts attended the Pitt Women's basketball game against Seton Hall on Saturday, February 25 to raise awareness of breast cancer as part of the teams' "Pink the Pete!" event. A great time for a great cause!
Cadette Troop 50740 lets loose after a long day at a both sale!
Service Unit 4654 celebrated Thinking Day 2012 by looking at decades of Girl Scouting, from the 1920s through the 1990s. Troops dressed up, brought a snack, made a swap, and played a game that was popular during that time period. Each girl was given a Time Traveler Passport to have marked at each decade. They also had a fashion show, using a collection of vintage Girl Scout uniforms!
Troop 20471 created a patch to be part of a 100th Anniversary Celebration quilt. A Girl Scout Troop from Hawaii is creating the quilt using patches designed by Girl Scouts from each state. Troop 20471 was the troop chosen from Pennsylvania.
Tionesta Junior Girl Scout Troop 30716 took up the 100th Anniversary Challenge by participating in “Valentines for Veterans.” The troop collected more than 120 items, such as crossword and other puzzle books, personal hygiene items, decks of playing cards and handmade pictures and valentines. The items were distributed at veterans hospitals in hand-delivered Valentine gift bags by Pennsylvania state leaders to thank veterans for their dedicated service.
Troop 2043, with girls ranging from Cadettes to Ambassador: Peyton, Megan and Rebekah (Cadettes) Lauren, Emily (Seniors) and Sarah (Ambassador), asked local businesses, friends and families to help them put together a spaghetti lunch for around 50 people at the Ronald McDonald House.
They arrived at the house on January 28th, 2012 and went to work. They had spaghetti, sauce with or without meatballs, fresh salad with all the fixings and bread and butter. The girls each made a cake that they served for dessert. The girls interacted with the kids, helped served the guests and did a fantastic clean up. They also donated the leftovers to those that were too ill to join them.
Girl Scout Junior Troop #50658 visited Presbyterian Senior Care in Oakmont, where the troop “adopted a grandma.” The girls plan to visit their “grandmas” on a regular basis, including going there to play bingo in the near future. They’re going to write about their visits with their “grandmas” in the journals, working toward their Bronze Award.
Additionally, this is the second year that Troop #50658 has collected Christmas presents for the children at Sojourner House. Each girls bought presents for two children who currently live at Sojourner House. This Christmas, they also collected kitchenware and toiletries for the moms. The troop has taken Sojourner House on as a community service project throughout the year, often donating gently used clothing, toys, games, and household items. ED Joann Cyganovich came to speak with the troop this past year, to thank them for their efforts, as well as educate them about Sojourner House.
Elves from Mercer Area Girl Scout Senior and Ambassador Troops 30609 and 30040 spent a Saturday evening in early December volunteering at the North Pole of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's Polar Express. Even though the girls are busy as high school sophomores and juniors, they always make time to attend this event, which has become an annual tradition!
-Submitted by Kathy Shaffer, Troop 30609
Cadettes from Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania’s Loyalhanna Service Unit, Troop 80405, recently presented Derry Area Middle School Principal Cheryl Walters and Mrs. Lisa Tatone, school guidance counselor, with the B.O.C.S. (pronounced "box" - an acronym for "Bullying Outreach Concern Service") they developed as their Cadette Leadership Journey service project. The Girl Scouts did research and created a computer presentation to deliver their proposal to school officials. Mrs. Tatone and Mrs. Walters were generous enough to meet with the Troop after school and plan to implement the anti-bullying feature in the Derry Area Middle School Guidance Office.
Murrysville Girl Scout Troop 22128 toured the Humane Society of Westmoreland County on November 14. The Girl Scouts learned about the Humane Society's mission and spent time with some of the animals being cared for at the facility. The troop will be collecting supplies to help the Humane Society care for the homeless animals in their care. The Girl Scouts are also encouraging the community to make cash donations or attend the Humane Society's fundraising events.
Congratulations to the Trefoil Terminators!
A team of 6 girls in 7th and 8th grades from Meadville Area Middle School competed in the Erie First Lego League Robotics tournament at Penn State Behrend. They came in 15th overall out of 40 teams competing and they won the second place trophy for teamwork. This team was coached by casual staff, Samantha Smith with assistance from Geoffrey Domowicz. This was their first time competing.
To better understand the restrictive clothing girls wore in the era when Girl Scouts began, Cadette Troop 50740 attended a Tea Party and fashion show of Victorian and Edwardian clothes. The girls loved playing dress up for the day – especially wearing the hats – but nobody (especially Corinne) thought that it would be a good idea to wear a corset!
On Oct. 18, 2011, Gallitzin Daisy Troop #4201, Brownie Troop #40469 and Junior Troop #40076 made over 300 Happy Socks (averaging 100 socks per troop) for a local Humane Society. The Girl Scout Daisies and Brownies were helping the Girl Scout Juniors work on their Bronze Award Project by making cat toys (Happy Socks) and Dog Biscuits (which will be completed at our Fall Campout). They were also working together to complete another 100th Anniversary Challenge!
Troop 54281’s Take Action project is a neighborhood supply drive for the Animal Rescue League. The Development Director, Kathy Oskin, met with the girls and talked with them about how the Animal Rescue League raises money and gets supply donations. The girls then gathered up all the old socks they could find, plus some fiber fill and cat nip, and made 80 cat toys! Troop 54281 is also holding a supply drive in Highland Park throughout the month of November. Their sponsor organizations, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and the Walnut Street Market have all agreed to house collection boxes for the month. The troop is hoping to collect a total of 365 items, including food, toys, old towels, bowls, dog coats, vegetable baby food and old paper oatmeal boxes for the guinea pigs.
Area Legislators Join Honorary Girl Scout Troop
Pennsylvania’s three Girl Scout councils kicked off the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting by establishing Troop Pennsylvania, an honorary Girl Scout troop made up of the women in the Pennsylvania State Legislature. Senator Patricia Vance and Representative Jennifer Mann led the troop in a brief ceremony on the steps of the State Capitol Rotunda on Oct. 18, 2011. In addition, Girl Scout Gold Award recipients from across the state welcomed the honorary troop members, and local Girl Scout troops participated in a flag ceremony and the investiture.
Peters Township Girl Scout, Christine Eshelman, and her family donated and installed a timber-style playset at the Washington County Family Shelter on Saturday September 17th. This effort was part of the Peters Township Girl Scouts ‘Summer of Service’ in preparation for the 100th birthday of Girl Scouting. It was a day of heavy-lifting and teamwork as the playset was installed in the ‘family area’ of the shelter. Christine felt it was well worth the effort, “I hope the kids have lots of fun with it” was her sentiment as the day wrapped. There were some very interested on-lookers throughout the day – just waiting to give the slide a ‘test run’ – that were likely going to make that wish come true. Pictured with the finished playset are Christine and her mom, Carolyn Eshelman, who served as a leader in the Summer of Service project.
For their 100th Anniversary Challenge, Cadette Troops 30834 and 30094 volunteered more than 100 minutes of time at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Girl Scouts removed two different types of invasive plants—Japanese Knotweed and Chinese Privet—from the banks of the Cuyahoga River so that trees can be planted in the river's riparian area instead. While removing the plants, the Girl Scouts also helped to collect garbage that was washed ashore when the river flooded several times earlier this year. The Girl Scouts completed their service project for the National Park Service on Aug. 12, 2011 during a three-day, two-night stay at the Adirondack Unit of Camp Hilaka in Richfield, OH.
Brownie Troop 50130 enjoyed canoeing, fishing and making new friends at the Taste of Weller event at Camp Roy Weller.
On Friday, Aug. 12, Girl Scout Junior Troop 40076 from Galltizin held a "Back-To-School" Clothing Giveaway for children in local communities. This was the culmination of a multi-month service project, wherein the Girl Scouts held a large clothing drive throughout the months of May, June and July. During this clothing drive, the girls completed a 100th Anniversary Challenge by collecting more than 100 pieces of gently used clothing to help local children for the upcoming school year.
-Submitted by Mylissa Lea Bunn
Five Girl Scouts from Troop 20270 in Ridgway—Linnea, Shawna, Katherine, Isabeau and Kyra—completed a 100th Anniversary Challenge by biking over 500 combined miles (averaging 100 miles per girl). The Girl Scouts biked the beautiful and historic Rails to Trails, which runs 18 miles from Ridgway to Brockway. After reaching the trailhead in Brockway, the girls biked onto Camp Curry Creek and spent an evening swimming in the pool, enjoying a campfire and camping overnight. The girls started accumulating their miles by taking short trips on the trail and enjoying the beautiful stopping places, including their personal favorite resting points: the huge rocks along the Clarion River and a swinging bridge over Toby Creek.
-Submitted by Dennis Lindberg
Penn Hills Girl Scouts assist the residents of UPMC Seneca Place at a campfire event on July 26, 2011.
Troop 54284 takes a break on the steps of the Capital Building in Washington, D.C. The girls worked hard selling cookies and were able to reap the benefits by traveling to our nation’s capital to see the sights in June 2011.
Submitted by Lerah Pasqualino, Troop 54284 Leader,
Elisa and Ella of Cranberry Township Troop 20754 went on the European Girl Scout Journey Tour with EF Tours in June 2011. They had the privilege of participating in pinning ceremonies at both Pax Lodge in London and Our Chalet in Adelboden, Switzerland. These pins are only given to Girl Scouts who actually visit one of the four worldwide centers of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
Troop 53641, from the Firefly Service Unit, completed a service project at the Washington Area Humane Society, planting flowers, cleaning up flower beds and helping to care for the animals.
The Hampton Township Girl Scouts posed for a photo to give to a leader who is currently in the hospital and had to miss day camp. A banner was created and hung in her room to let her know everyone was thinking of her. There were over 200 campers at Day Camp with almost as many helpers and volunteers; everyone had a fantastic week learning about mythology and having fun!
On March 24, SPC Jesse Lobins, home on leave from Afghanistan, traveled to Townville to meet the girls of Girl Scout Junior/Cadette Troop 30730 from Townville. The Girl Scouts had sent SPC Lobins letters, cookies, cards and even a Christmas care package throughout the last year. He brought them a U.S. flag, which had been flown in Afghanistan and brought back to the states just for the girls, as a thank you gift. The girls have since adopted another soldier (Jesse isn’t to be deployed again for another 18 months) and have already sent over their first shipment of Girl Scout Cookies
Members of Girl Scout Troop 20555 from Cranberry Township received their Bronze Awards on June 2 in a very special ceremony. The girls were awarded a certificate from State Sen. Jane Orie, honoring them for their dedication and hard work, and each girl received a letter from her school principal. But the biggest surprise came when the girls were presented with a flag from the Commander of the United States National Support Element in recognition of their faithful service. The accompanying certificates state that the flag was flown in honor of Girl Scout Troop 20555 on Feb. 21, "in the face of the enemy at the United States National Support Element, Headquarters, ISAF, Kabul and bears witness to the rebuilding of a free Afghanistan as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom in the Global War on Terrorism." Each girl also received a personal letter congratulating her on acieving the Bronze Award.
The girls worked very hard to earn their Bronze Award: In addition to completing the Jouney, the girls also earned the Model Citizen Badge and United We Stand Badge, hosted a Try-It Day for Girl Scout Brownies at a local Tae Kwon Do Studio, and collected, donated, packed and sent about 20 boxes filled with 'back home' supplies and food to American troops serving in Afghanistan.
The girls of Troop 20555 (pictured) are Samantha, Kyra, Nivya, Sara, Nora and Sydney. Not pictured: Morgan.
Six Girl Scout Juniors from Peters Township Troop 51928 earned their Bronze Award by holding a Horse Lovers Day for Brownies and Juniors in the community. The troop worked hard, learning everything they could about horses and proper horse care, as well as how to ride so that they would be prepared to teach their fellow Girl Scouts. The Girl Scouts in attendance earned their Horse & Pony Try-It or Horse Fan badge and received a custom-made, heart-shaped horse patch. The troop also made a donation to In-Stride with Therapeutic Riding, Inc., which provides recreational horseback riding with therapeutic benefits to children and adults with disabilities. Special thanks to Greenmoor Common Equestrian Center for all of their help. Now that the hard work is over, Troop 51928 is looking forward to sporting their tie-dye troop T-shirts at CORE Camp this summer!
Over 200 Girl Scouts and their families enjoyed Girl Scout Night with the Washington WildThings on May 27. Even the WildThing mascot got into the spirit, sporting his Girl Scout sash!
Girl Scout Troop 23093 from Kane completed two 100th Anniversary Challenges by collecting more than 100 items for the food pantry, cleaning Evergreen Park for more than 100 minutes and donating $100 to a local playground fund!
West Jefferson Hills Girl Scout Junior Troop 50309 held a Birthday Party to celebrate Girl Scouts’ 99th Birthday, hosting Girl Scout Brownies from troops 50076, 50258 and 50428. Of course, it is tradition to bring a birthday gift to a birthday party, so the girls generously brought birthday gifts for boys and girls of all ages and donated them to the children at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh!
At the party, the older girls taught the Girl Scout Brownies about being a Girl Scout Junior to prepare them for their bridging in the fall, and shared with them community service ideas, songs and games. Fifty-six girls were in attendance.
Submitted by Becky Evanchak, Leader – Girl Scout Junior Troop 50309
Junior Troop 51061 hosted a Mother Daughter Sweetheart Tea & Fashion Show at Highland Country Club this February. The girls greeted guests with music played on the Club’s baby grand piano while other troop members sat attendees. Brownie Troop 50047 sung the National Anthem during the Opening Flag Ceremony and guests enjoyed traditional fare of tea and scones. While the Girl Scouts modeled clothes lent to them by Macy’s of Ross Park Mall, some mothers and grandmothers showcased outfits from Christopher and Banks, Cranberry. Yet other girls in the West-Perry Girl Scout Community modeled historical Girl Scout uniforms. The Girl Scout troop also participated in a service project at the Tea which gave guests an opportunity to make a card for soldiers overseas. The cards were included in the troop’s donated Girl Scout Cookies boxes and sent to U.S. Military Service personnel.
Girl Scouts from Brownie Troop 50167 (and a Girl Scout Cadette from 50215) took part in the Municipality of Monroeville 16th Annual Jack Sedlak Memorial Clean Up Day on April 30, 2011. Working together to clean up Ferndale Park, the girls removed five tires and a lot debris. Volunteers also cut back brush on the playground and shoveled mulch to make the park safer for the community.
Submitted by: Carol Beinhauer, Troop Leader
Training Officer, Scott Rice, sent a thank you photo of his Military Troop enjoying their Girl Scout Cookies from Afghanistan. Glen Oaks Cadette Girl Scout Troop 50329 sent the donations of Girl Scout Cookies.
Submitted by: Delia Battista
Springboro Girl Scout Brownie/Daisy Troop 30450 and Girl Scout Junior Troop 30903 visited Rolling Fields with Easter cards and Girl Scout Cookie's for the residents. As part of our upcoming 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting we prepared 100 cards, and served 100+ Girl Scout Cookies.
Rep. Kortz presented a recognition citation to Carissa Kratz in honor of her achieving the highest rank in Girl Scouting – The Gold Award. Hard work, dedication, and commitment was the key to her achievement. Her project included collection of personal items and distributed in handmade decorative fabric totes. Womansplace in McKeesport was the recipient of 150 totes. Carissa is a member of Troop 50792 and resides in Dravosburg, PA.
For over twenty years, Girl Scouts have been helping the Easter Bunny at the annual Easter Egg Hunt in Mt. Lebanon’s Main Park. This year, on Sunday, April 17, after a one-day rain delay, the girls hit the bunny trail and hid goody-filled eggs throughout the park. When it was time for the big event, the girls helped direct children and their parents to the appropriate areas. After gathering their eggs, the kids met a large yellow Easter duck, played by Katie Anderson, a seventh grader from Mellon Middle School and a member of Cadette Girl Scout Troop 50740.
Submitted by: Lisa Brown
Having the time of their lives, Girl Scout Senior Troop 51944 took on Manhattan in a recent trip to the Big Apple. After many fundraisers and much planning, they took their journey from April 1-4. Mode of transportation? Seven hours on a Magabus! They visited many of the famous attractions, met new people every day, and enjoyed shopping, subways and shows! A favorite activity was seeing the Broadway production, “How to Success in Business Without Really Trying,” starring the ever-so-classy Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter). Climbing up the 354 steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty and riding up 85 floors in an elevator to the top of the Empire State Building were also favorites. (Photo taken inside the crown of the Statue of Liberty.)
Submitted by: Cecelia Allison and fellow troop members
Girl Scout Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Troop 30777 of Conneaut Lake held a clothing drive at Conneaut Lake Elementary school to benefit Samaritans of the Conneaut Lake Area. The girls in the troop, who picked up the clothes on three separate days in February and March, received a thank you letter from the Samaritans letting them know how much they helped out. Great job to the members of Troop 30777!
Girl Scouts from Service Units 3609 and 3604 in Erie celebrated the 99th Birthday of Girl Scouting with a bowling party at Eastway Lanes. The girls enjoyed bowling, pizza, pop, cake and the company of sister Girl Scouts. Each troop was asked to bring one new stuffed animal to donate to the Erie County Children's Advocacy Center for April's Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each child that is interviewed on an allegation of abuse or neglect receives a stuffed animal to take home. Our Girl Scout's generosity was overwhelming as they donated a total of 72 stuffed animals! Great job!
Submitted by: Lisa Totleben, Leader Troop 30707
On Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, Brownie Troop 50428 and Daisy Troop 54219 joined forces with a neighboring organization to serve with the Pleasant Hills Lions at their annual Spaghetti Dinner at the Pleasant Hills Borough Building.
The girls assisted the Lions by greeting and seating guests, delivering orders to the tables, cleaning up after the guests and assisting with the to-go orders. President of the Lions, Ed Kuchta, said that this was one of their busiest dinners ever and the help of the Girl Scouts was a wonderful addition. He said he doesn’t know how they could have done it without us!
Following our “shift,” we had the pleasure of listening to a presentation by past president of the Lions, Janet Hayes. Hayes spoke about what the Pleasant Hills Lions Organization is all about, their history, who they serve and how women are playing a larger part in the organization.
We were then treated to a wonderful spaghetti dinner courtesy of the Lions as a surprise special treat! It was a wonderful experience for both the girls and the Lions. In the thank you card we received from the Lions, we were already invited back to lend a hand again next year!
Girl Scouts from Mercer, Lakeview and Grove City enjoyed an afternoon at Camp Elliott on April 9 as they celebrated the 100th anniversary of Girl Guides in Ireland, India and Australia. In addition to doing fun activities from these three countries, there was also a canned food drive and a dance party. This was the second of three events celebrating the Centenary of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. Next year, these service units are planning to get together again for the final event of this celebration, as GSUSA turns 100. (Photo is of the girls learning Yoga at the event.)
Submitted by: Kathy Shaffer, Mercer Area Service Unit
Troop 50014, from the Collier/Scott Service Units, collected donations at their Mother/Daughter Luncheon for earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan. A $200 donation was made to UNICEF on behalf of the service unit. Also from the Collier/Scott Service Units, Troop 50014, held a garage sale to benefit their sister Girl Scouts in Japan. $95 was raised and donated to the relief efforts. Both troops want to send out a big thank you to the community for their generous donations and help with the girls' charitable endeavors.
Submitted by: Julie S. Murphy
On Wednesday, April 6, Girl Scout Daisy Troop 40856 of Boswell, PA held a tea party at Windber Hospice. Our girls donated 57 boxes cookies; about 50 boxes of tea, coffee and cocoa; 50 favor bags full of coffee and tea items and 12 tea cups painted by the girls. These items will not only go to patients at the hospice facility but to patients who are receiving care at home. We had two hospice representatives join us for tea, finger sandwiches and light snacks. We chose Windber Hospice a few months ago but it took on a special meaning during the cookie sale when my mother-in-law, Erma Perigo, became a patient at Windber Hospice. She passed away at the Windber facility, a month later, on Feb. 8. Erma started the first Girl Scout Daisy Troop in Boswell in the 1980's. I am the current leader and my daughter is a Daisy.
The girls previously donated 29 boxes of cookies to the Somerset County Military Family Support Group in February. Those boxes were sent to our men and women serving overseas.
Submitted by: Becky Perigo
Fifteen Girl Scout Troops from the Johnstown area participated in cookies for soldiers packing event at the Johnstown VFW Post 155. They surpassed their goal of 1200 boxes for troops with a whopping 1459 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies packed and shipped out to soldiers. The girls–from ages 5-17–included handwritten cards and notes with the cookies.
Members from Girl Scout Brownie Troop 30935 in Warren County show off their newly tie-dyed T-shirts. Front Row: Mia, Phoebe, Destiny and Zoie; Back Row: Lilee, Madison, Alexandra, Rachael and Cassidy.
Submitted by: Stephanie Nelson
Girl Scout Cadette Troop 30834 from the Mercer Area Service Unit, got a little culture this Friday. In exchange for passing out show programs, the girls enjoyed two Broadway performers singing a mixture of Irish ballads and Broadway show tunes at Slippery Rock University's Performing Arts Series entitled From Galway to Broadway. Thanks to Deb Baker and SRU for allowing the girls to enjoy shows from all over the country right in our own backyard.
Submitted by: Maureen Conner, Co-leader, Troop 30834
On Monday, March 14, Girl Scout Cadette Troop 40701 hosted a St. Patrick’s Day party for the residents of Turner Apartments. The girls spent Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12 at Camp Conshatawba getting ready for the party by baking and decorating cookies and cutting out shamrocks for a craft. At the party they also played bingo and socialized with their guests. The party was suggested by one of the girls in the troop whose grandmother lives at Turner Apartments. She enjoyed attending their Valentine’s Day party and wanted to give something back.
Submitted by: Sandra Balough, Leader Troop 40701
Troop 44003 from Bedford completed their 100th Anniversary Challenge by donating 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the military mothers to ship to Iraq and Afghanistan. We collected the cookies at our Cookie Booths this season.
Special thanks to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Schellsburg for donating 42 boxes of cookies and to Dr. Primack for donating 10 boxes to help us hit our goal.
Submitted by: Lauren Nusida
Girl Scouts from Gallitzin Service Unit were recently photographed trying out their new cookie costumes as they were preparing for their annual cookie sale. It has become a tradition to sell cookies outside of Wal-Mart and this year was no exception.
On March 10, 2011, Girl Scout Daisy Troop 53580 celebrated the 99th Birthday of Girl Scouts, as well as, held their annual awards celebration! The girls received 5 daisy petals, the blue center and their WAGGGS Trefoil pin.
Brownie Girl Scouts from Gallitzin Service Unit visited the Hollidaysburg Presbyterian Home on Saturday, February 19. The girls worked with the residents to make flower pots and lady bugs to help get over the winter blues on a sunny afternoon. The residents were very excited to visit with the girls and some of the residents even posed for pictures with the girls to show off the craft. Afterwards the girls delivered the extra flowers pots to the residents who were unable to attend the activity time. The visit warmed the hearts of all.
On Friday, March 4, Girl Scout Troop 31157 toured the local police station in Warren County. Back row: Sergeant Richard R. Brecht, Jori, Mikken. Front row Carly and Pearl.
Submitted by: Gina Roberts
The Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show booth sale was great! Troop 50740 sold 403 boxes, which includes 16 boxes to Gift of Caring.
Submitted by: Hope Wintermantel
On Feb. 12, 2011, more than 40 Girl Scouts and adults attended Ohioview’s World Thinking Day celebration in Ben Avon. During the festivities, Girl Scouts collected hundreds of gently-used books as part of their Book Drive; prepared and served foods from Bolivia, Cyprus, Congo, Nepal and Yemen; and used skits and presentations to raise awareness regarding literacy, human rights and other issues. Girls were also able to earn their Thinking Day Patch, take part in a SWAPS exchange and more.
Submitted by: Sue Stewart
Troop 54120 of Gateway Service Units had a great night at their joint Valentines Day party with Troop 54286! The girls enjoyed making new friends, crafts, painting nails, exchanging cards and presenting the official Flag Ceremony with 21 Scouts to their parents. The caller, handlers and guards of troop 54286 did a fantastic job with the Flags!
Submitted by: Laine Becket, Troop 54120
Brownie Troop 54208 completed their 100th Anniversary Challenge by spending 100 minutes making toys for the animals at Animal Friends. They also donated $100 to the Kind Kid program which pays for one animal's stay (food, shelter, vaccinations, spay/neuter) at Animal Friends. The troop includes: Anna, Margo, Alison, Mya, Jessie, Molly, Mia, Riley and Taylor.
Submitted by: Bev Jones, Leader and Lisa Weiss, Co-Leader
As part of their Girl Scout Bronze Award, Junior Troop 20555 from Cranberry Township hosted an event for local Brownie Troops. Approximately 50 Brownies attended this event!
The girls planned a self-defense day at a local Tae Kwon Do Studio. Master Zang taught basic self defense, ways to deal with bullies, and other pertinent information on ways to stay safe. Each girl was given the opportunity to use some her new found skills to break a board.
In addition, Troop 20555 collected items at the event to send to troops in Afghanistan. The girls were able to packed 7 boxes of items.
Submitted by: Tabatha Mill and Juliet Abel, Co-Leaders of Troop 20555
Girl Scout Juniors from Allegheny Valley, Fox Chapel, Oakmont/Verona and Woodland Hills learned about several disciplines of engineering with encouraging leaders and fun hands-on activities at Engineering Day for the Girl Scouts.
Click photo to view slide show.
More than 50 girls from Allegheny Valley participated in their 2011 Cookie Rally on Jan. 4 at the Cheswick Presbyterian Church social hall, with girls from Daisy Troops 51606 and 55120, Brownie Troop 50032, Junior Troops 50315, 50965 and 53057, and Cadette Troop 50091. Each participating troop hosted a fun cookie-themed station, which girls rotated through in 15-minute increments. Each named for a Girl Scout cookie, the girl groups of Tagalongs, Samoas, Trefoils, and Thin Mints each took turns through the stations, led by their "cookie elf" guides, Junior Girl Scouts assisting at the event.
Stations included a photo booth station, where girls posed in cookie costumes for photos and made photo frames, a poster-making station to promote the upcoming booth sales, and a "Got Milk?" cookie swap station. Girls also sampled and voted on their favorite cookies and created mouse ears at the "If You Give a Mouse a Girl Scout Cookie station" and they raced to finish eating their cookie first at the cookie-on-a-string station. Cadettes from Troop 50091, led by Lynn Barch and Allison Scott, led the younger girls in songs and took pictures throughout the night to make a photo book to help earn their Photography Interest Project award patch. At the end, girls closed their evening of fun with a Friendship Circle.
Submitted by: Lynn Barch
This past weekend a group of Girl Scout Cadettes from various troops in Mt. Lebanon were the first to participate in a newly approved Intro to SCUBA class offered by Splash Water Sports on Banksville Rd, Pittsburgh. It was a great program and the girls really enjoyed it. In addition to learning the basics of SCUBA diving, the girls completed many of the requirements of the Discover SCUBA Interest Project of the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland council.
Submitted by: Lisa Brown, Leader, Troop 50740
When Troop 25141 decided to take on the responsibility to decorate our Girl Scout tree at the Municipal Center in Cranberry Township, we thought making cinnamon ornaments would be nice. Next, we began thinking about what to do with the ornaments after Jan. 7, 2011. So, we came up with a win-win solution, we would give our ornaments to people willing to donate to our tree. Those individuals willing to drop off warm items for our tree could take an ornament home to keep for their nice gesture.
We are pleased to say we have no ornaments left, and an abundance of items to donate. We donated some items to Rowan Elementary, Haine Elementary, and the rest will go to the Headstart program. Thanks for keeping our tree Warm!
Submitted by: Kimberly Matthews, Co-Leader
An Armed forces Unit in Afghanistan received care packages from Windber Medical Center. Junior Girl Scout Troop 40078 contributed by making cards and letters to the soldiers wishing them a safe and happy holiday.
Submitted by: Rachel Allen, Leader 40078
Troops in the Gateway Service Unit took a trip to the Cedars of Monroeville assisted living home. First, the girls went to the 3rd floor to carol for the residents that couldn't come downstairs. Then they made over 75 Christmas Cards with 20 of the residents. Cedars supplied the craft materials and are also paying to send the cards to soldiers overseas! The girls had a blast and the residents really enjoyed them. We are hoping to do projects on a monthly basis with them.
Submitted by: Laine Becket, Leader, Troop 54120
Troop 30707 from Erie, PA completed their water Journeys and Badges by creating a service project to educate their teachers on the environmental dangers of using plastic shopping bags. Each Girl Scout designed her own flyer and distributed them, along with re-usable shopping bags donated / discounted by Tops Market, to each of her teachers and principals. They also inspired their Leaders to make the personal change to cloth bags.
Submitted by: Lisa Totleben, Leader, Troop 30707
Seven ninth grade Girl Scouts from Mercer Area High School and their leaders spent the morning volunteering as Elves at the “North Pole” stop of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's Polar Express. This special daytime trip was for children who are battling life threatening illnesses or who have disabilities, and their families. In addition the daytime trip, the girls also volunteered at the “North Pole” on several evenings, completing more than the 10 hours of service required for the National Park Service Girl Scout Ranger Patch Program. The girls will receive their Girl Scout Ranger Patches at the Mercer Service Unit Awards and Bridging Ceremony later this year.
Submitted by: Kathy Shaffer, Leader, Troop 30609
The Gateway Service Unit held a "Caroling for Cans" event on December 6th. Seventy-one girls of all levels, parents & leaders and over 100 people attended the event. We braved the snow, wind & freezing temps to go door to door caroling and collecting food which was donated to the Monroeville local food bank. Afterwards we all met back at the school for hot chocolate & cookies provided by the Service Unit. This was the first time the event was held & we hope it to be a yearly event!
Submitted by: Laine Becket, Leader of Troop 54120
Cadette Troop 54038 from Beth Center Service Unit won first place in the PPG gingerbread house display in their category for ages 10-13.
The girls and their leaders recreated Noah's Ark made of gingerbread and decorated with candy wafers, icing , pretzels and M&Ms. The girls each chose the animals they wanted to create out of fondant. There were lions, giraffes, elephants, sheep, snakes, panda bears, flamingos, penguins and mice. The ark has been on display at the PPG Place Gingerbread display inside the Winter Garden since Nov. 19, Light Up Night. The Gingerbread Houses will be on display through Jan. 7. The delicious dwellings can be purchased with proceeds to benefit Children's Hospital's "Free Care Fund."
The troop began in October learning basic cake decorating techniques.This was their first entry into the competition. Those that worked many hours are Annabelle, Shannon, Megan, Anna, Lacy, Caitlin, Payton and Mailyn. Each girl will keep a participation ribbon and another special memory of their time in Girl Scouting.
Submitted by: Beth Ortosky, Jodi Bruno and Sharon Keruskin
Girl Scout Junior Troops 51928 & 51932 from Peters Township Service Unit spent November 5 and 6 at the South Park Girl Scout cabin learning about Patriotism and what it means. The girls learned how to fold a flag, the different parts of a flag, why we celebrate Veterans Day, what freedom means to us, the symbols of the United States, and the sacrifices our military service personnel make to serve our country. The girls met with Staff Sergeant Matthew Claycomb as well as six members of VFW Post 764, who taught us proper flag care. They especially enjoyed the patriotic songs and learning the Pledge of Allegiance in Sign Language. They also participated in several community service projects, including making flag pins for senior citizens, making toiletry bags for the Veterans Hospital, made cards for soldiers serving overseas and collected donations for Operation Troop Appreciation. The Girls earned their United We Stand & Our Hometown Heroes Junior Badges.
Submitted by: Shari Findley
On Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 more than 400 Girl Scouts and their families boarded the Gateway Clipper to take a journey along the Three Rivers. They discussed the importance of taking care of each other, getting along with others and taking pride in western Pennsylvania’s environment. The girls and their families also participated in an interactive show time cruise by Lani Cataldi from the Gemini Theater, featuring Pocahontas and an Indian Shaman.
The Girl Scouts from Erie City Troop 30707 created Thanksgiving / Get Well cards for patients. The cards will be placed on patient's meal trays Thanksgiving Day at Hamot Medical Center. The girls were creative wishing the card recipients good health and a happy holiday.
Submitted by: Lisa Totleben, Leader
Every year Mt. Lebanon hosts a community-wide Halloween parade in the business district on Washington Rd. Mt. Lebanon Girl Scouts have participated in this parade for many years – probably for as many years as the parade has been in existence. This year, we had one of our largest ever Girl Scout contingencies! In act, we were probably the largest group participating in the parade.
The photograph represents Mt. Lebanon troops from Daisies to Ambassadors. So many troops chose to participate because it is always a great chance for Mt. Lebanon Girl Scouts to interact with one another, both within their own troop and with other Girl Scouts in the community. Some troops chose to dress in themed costumes and others allow their girls free range. Many troops make banners to carry in the parade. Some troops throw candy. Overall it’s a great event and one that we look forward to every year. My troop, Cadette Troop 50740 has participated every year since they were in Daisies.
Submitted by: Lisa Brown, Troop Leader
On Oct. 24, 2010, the Elizabeth Forward/Clairton and the South Allegheny Service Units came together for a Juliette Gordon Low Birthday Bash at Camp Yough. 158 girls along with 80 program aids and adult volunteers attended the celebration!
To honor Juliette Gordon Low, the girls collected 234 lbs of non-perishable food items which were donated to local food banks. During this daylong event girls were able to visit 12 different stations such as songs, games, swaps, pumpkin decorating and the “scary cabin.” They also had the opportunity to talk with local Fireman and EMS crews about Trick or Treating and fire safety.
Everyone signed a birthday card for Juliette Gordon Low and is on display at the Girl Scout shop in Pittsburgh.
On November 7th, Girl Scout Junior Troop 40718 participated in the Fall FoodShare Food Drive at Giant Eagle in Northern Cambria. In the 4-hours of food drive, the girls received 60 items and $330.00 in donations to the food drive. This year’s donations went to St. Vincent DePaul’s Food Pantry in Carrolltown, PA. With these donations, they will help needy families in the community.
I was very inspired by Girl Scout Brownie Troop 55096 on Saturday at the Giant Eagle on Route 8 while I helped chaperone the girls as they handed out pamphlets for the shoppers and as they went into the grocery store asking them to donate food or money to the local food bank. The customers came out and gave the girls loads of food items. It was inspiring and the girls were so exuberant. The entire time they were upbeat and jumping around like little Mexican jumping beans all the while pleasant and happy and cold but they didn't even seem to mind or notice. I have a renewed good feeling about the food bank.
Submitted by: Ann Lewis
Mt. Lebanon Girls Scouts from Troop 50740 brought “Wonderland” to Mt. Lebanon where they hosted a “Mad” tea party for girls in sixth grade, newly entering middle school. Drawing on the idea that middle school is every bit as strange and intimidating as Wonderland was to Alice, the Caterpillar asked the guests to consider “Who are you?”; Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb informed them that they need not succumb to peer pressure to be like everyone else; and the Red Queen led everyone in a fun-filled game of croquet, reminding guests that it’s always a good idea to try new activities and sports. Under a perfect October sky, everyone enjoyed a traditional English tea followed by a fashion show in which the younger girls voted on their favorite costumed character.
Submitted by: Lisa Brown
To kick off our new year of Girl Scouting the Girl Scout Junior Troop 40718 of Northern Cambria visited the Barr Ridge Corn Maze in Nicktown on Oct. 17. We walked though the maze, letting each girl lead the way, to find different characters from the “Wizard of Oz” The first team found all the characters in the maze and in true Girl Scout fashion the first team helped the second team find all the characters in the maze. Each Girl Scout Junior that attended the event received a corn maze patch. A special thanks to the Lieb family, for giving each girl a pumpkin for visiting the corn maze—which we decorated at our next meeting.
Submitted by: Jodi Nealen
On Sept. 16, Gateway Service Unit operated a recruitment booth at Celebrate Monroeville, a community wide event that anybody who is anybody attends. Many exhibitors run booths at this event to show off what they can offer Monroeville.
Throughout the day, Gateway Service Unit’s booth was approached by other businesses/non profits looking for contact information from troops to provide community service later in the year. The girls passed out flyers and were available for questions about Girl Scouts. They were eager to share their love of Scouting with others!
To earn their Girl Scout Silver Award, Cadette Troop 50678 from Bethel Park Service Unit recently completed a year-long service project just in time Halloween. The eighth grade girls collected over 300 Halloween costumes from residents in the South Hills area during the fall of 2009. They then spent the next six months sorting, cleaning, repairing and organizing all of the costumes. This September, the girls hung the costumes on racks at South Hills Interfaith Ministries (SHIM) for the upcoming food pantry dates in September and October. The costumes are available free of charge to children who visit the pantry with their families.
On Sept. 26, Girl Scout Troop Troop 22128 cheered on their home team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, during Girl Scout Day at PNC Park. The girls also Receive a special Pittsburgh Pirates Girl Scout Patch.
On May 7 and 8, 2010 Girl Scout Troop 51944 from Peters Township completed their Cadette Silver Award Project. Eight members built three foot bridges, one of which is shown in the photo, on the Periphery Trail in Mingo Creek County Park in Washington County. The footbridges will prevent soil erosion into the creek, which the trail crosses. Frequent trail use by hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians causes damage to the banks of the many tributaries that feed Mingo Creek, adversely affecting water quality and aquatic life downstream. The girls installed the pipe, secured it with limestone, built up the trail bed with gravel, and spread mulch to complete the bridges. All supplies were provided by Washington County.
Many more bridges like this are needed along the trails within the park. Interested troops may contact Washington County Parks and Recreation for information.
Submitted by: Carrie Vanistendael
Girls from the West Jefferson Hills Service Unit walked in their community parade this past Saturday, Aug. 14. Ronald McDonald just happen to be there, too. The girls tossed candy from their buckets to the crowd.
Submitted by: Nancy Crossen
Eight Petroleum Valley Junior Girls Scouts from Troop 20405 recently earned their Bronze Award by holding supply drives for and volunteering at the Butler Humane Society. The girls collected 968 cans of dog/cat food, 14 bags of dry dog/cat food, 54 packages of cat/dog treats, 150 dog/cat toys, 118 rolls of paper towels, 71 rolls of toilet paper, 36 cleaning supply items and 13 leashes and collars. They also made homemade dog treats and pet toys, put together a large gift basket and made Thank You cards for the Humane Society to send to their supporters. On May 29, the girls went to the Humane Society to deliver the donations and volunteer by weeding, washing and drying the pets’ food and water dishes, and doing laundry.
Last week, the Bushy Run and Franklin Regional Service Units Day Camp collected 1,118 food items for the 14th Quartermaster's food pantry in Greensburg. Even the Tagalong Toads (little siblings) and Soaring Eagles (boys) brought food items to donate. All of Day Camp was rewarded with an ice cream social bar on the last day of camp. SPC Justin Fink and SGT Justin Hultz, recently home from a tour in Iraq, arrived at Day Camp on Friday to pick up the items and spent some time with the girls. They allowed the girls to "squirt the soldier" with the hose. They then turned the hose on the girls. The soldiers presented the girls certificates of appreciation and small toys as a thank you from the 14th Quartermaster
Submitted by: Marsha Schmidt, Day Camp Director
Eleven fifth-grade members of troop 51172 recently earned their Bronze Award for promoting literacy throughout Pine-Richland and the North Hills. The troop members spent 30 minutes each month with kindergarten-aged "reading buddies" at Richland Elementary, playing the role of story teller—learning that goofy or scary voices draw laughter—and role model. All of the "buddies" are now reading at some level, according to their teacher, Erica Nida, who said: "The (Girl Scouts) have been great role models and the kids are always excited to see them." The troop also collected more than 120 children's books at a recent square dance that drew Girl Scouts from surrounding areas and donated the books to the North Hills Community Outreach.
Submitted by: Katy Byrne, Co-Leader Troop 51172
Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania celebrated Gorilla Day at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium during Radio Disney’s Family Week. Girls met the gorilla keeper and watched as the gorillas received special treats. At the Girl Scout booth, girls and their families played fun games, received giveaways and got the scoop on upcoming program opportunities.
Members of Girl Scout Cadette Troop 10221 from Monaca recently built robots at a Carnegie Science Center Sleepover. At each of several stations located throughout the science center, the girls would complete a science-related activity to earn a new part to the robot. By the end of the night, they had earned all of their pieces and proudly constructed their very own robots. The troop also invited the newly bridged Girl Scout Junior Troop 10081, whom they "adopted" this year to work with younger girls as leaders and mentors, to join them at the sleepover.
Submitted by: Jennie Cercone and Susan McMullen, Co-Leaders of Troop 10221
Service Units from the Northern Cambria, Cambria Heights and Ebensburg areas just finished up a 3-day Twilight Camp at Duman Lake County Park, Ebensburg, PA. This summer program was free to all girls entering grades K-6 who were not currently Girl Scouts. The fee for a registered Girl Scout was to bring a friend who was not currently a Girl Scout. Our theme for the event was "The 3 R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! We had games, songs, crafts and snacks and drinks with a recycled theme. Tim Dull, Cambria County Solid Waste, came to speak with our girls on the importance of recycling. We ended our event with "bubble snakes"
Submitted by: Carol Kuhar, Leader, Girl Scout Cadette Troop 40937
