Girl Scouts earn 'Silver Award' for efforts
By Phyllis Lehrer
They collected clothes and sold them to consignment shops, collected bottles and cans. "We recycled everything," they said.
They also held bake sales at the Amherst Regional Middle School, where all completed eighth-grade last year and will be at the high school in the fall.
These Scouts are the new generation.
"We don't wear uniforms; we're more laid back," said Courtney. The Scouts, who meet twice a month, hear programs about women entrepreneurs, organization development and visit biology labs at Smith College.
Ayodele Bond, Kyle Bond, Katherine Soper and Laura Figueroa are also members of the troop but were not present at the slide show. The other Scout leaders are Sue Milne and Jen Soper.
While they did attend the Scouting Camp Lewis Perkins, camping is not their thing. "One time we tried it on our own. It rained. We got lost in the woods," said Pilar.
"We didn't panic but said never again," according to Katy.
They have been Scouts and friends for a long time. All joined when they were five- or six-years old. The main reason: fun.
"My best friends were in Scouts and I was left out so I joined. It's really fun," Courtney said.
All are busy with other activities: Pilar dances with the Amherst Ballet. Courtney swims with the Tritons. Hilary is captain of the field hockey team while Katy plays ultimate, soccer and does cross country.
The community can hear about the restoration project and view the slide show in the fall when the Scouts present a program at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. That and writing a report of what they learned are the last two steps to the Silver Award.
And they are thinking ahead to the Gold Award that also requires a service project. On their radar screen: either gathering medical supplies for an American Indian reservation or traveling to New Orleans to help rebuild the city, according to Katy.
On the home front, their community service includes working at Not Bread Alone, collecting clothes for the Amherst Survival Center and cleaning the salamander tunnels off Henry Street.
"You get to meet people in the community and help out. It's not hard to do good stuff with friends," Courtney said.
To see the project, visit www.CORALations.org or www.reefball.org.