A
growing fondness for community service inspired Granite City Girl Scout Troop
#371 to show some love to U.S. military members stationed overseas in the form
of Girl Scout Cookies. The troop is
currently selling cookies and accepting donations to send the sweet treats
overseas through the help of the local VFW Ladies Auxiliary and USO in St.
Louis. They call their campaign “A
Little Love From Home.”
The troop of Girl Scout Cadettes has been working on
earning their Girl Scout Silver Award – the highest honor that Girl Scouts in
6-8th grade can earn.
Earning the Girl Scout Silver Award requires a minimum of 60 hours of
community service to a project that addresses a need in girls’ communities. The troop chose to dedicate their efforts to
Good Samaritan House, which provides temporary housing to homeless women and children. They are currently working to help replace
the flooring and furniture in the living area of the shelter, as well as
volunteering to coordinate children’s activities. Their positive experience led them to want to
take on another service campaign.
“We were talking about Memorial Day and what it was
about, that soldiers had given their lives,” said Troop Leader Lynette Melton
Wolfe. “The girls wanted to send
something from home to soldiers to remind them that people here in the United
States are thinking of them no matter where they are. The girls decided to go with the theme ‘A
Little Love From Home’ with Girl Scout Cookies representing the love from
home.”
To help turn their idea into reality, the troop
connected with the Granite City VFW Ladies Auxiliary, who are gathering
personal goods for service men and women overseas, which the USO is
shipping. They are also campaigning
around town to collect donations and spread awareness.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps girls learn
valuable personal and professional skills such as goal setting, decision
making, money management, business ethics and people skills. Money raised through cookie sales helps
troops finance trips, programs and special activities. Yet, many use their earnings to fund service
projects in their communities, as well.
“Most
of our girls are not from a mountain of wealth,” said Wolfe, “so to be working
to earn money and giving it away is a big commitment for them. But they’re seeing where it’s going. They love to do things for other people.”
“I’ve always had a need to take care of other people
and do things for other people. I have a
bit of that service personality,” she added.
“Girl Scouts, in my position, is leading by example - trying to see
things and teach what service can do and what the potential of it can be.”
Wolfe appreciates how she has seen the girls grow
through their years in Girl Scouts. “You
see the girls expanding themselves- trying things they’ve never tried before,
getting opportunities, learning. Girl
Scouting is getting girls a little bit out of their comfort zones because you
don’t know what you like until you’re there.”
To help support Troop #371’s “A Little Love From Home”
campaign or their Girl Scout Silver Award project to renovate the living area
of the Good Samaritan Home, please contact Lynette Melton-Wolfe at 618.980.0273
or e-mail lynettemeltonwolfe@gmail.com.
Checks can be made out to “Girl Scouts Troop #371” and
mailed to 2nd Baptist Church, 2100 Illinois Avenue, Granite City, IL
62034 with ATTN: Cookies for Soldiers.
Troop #371 also welcomes any opportunities to speak to
organizations or groups, as well as to set up a cookie booth at area
businesses.
