Addison Liefer from Red Bud received Girl Scouts of the USA’s Medal of Honor at Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois' All That Glitters ceremony on April 5 at Hilton Garden Inn's Regency Conference Center in O'Fallon. The prestigious lifesaving award was granted to her by the national Girl Scout organization for her lifesaving actions during a house fire this summer. Upon discovering the car in her grandmother’s garage was in flames, Addison, age 9, immediately informed her grandmother of the emergency and then moved her 2-year old sister and 5-month old brother to safety.
The fire spread rapidly on the windy day, quickly reaching the gas tanks of the two cars in the garage, which exploded suddenly. Because the house was in a rural area of Red Bud, it took firefighters some time to arrive and since there was not access to a fire hydrant nearby, they had to return to town several times for more water. Ultimately, the house could not be saved, but everyone inside was unharmed thanks to Addison’s quick actions.
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois will present Addison with the Medal of Honor at their All That Glitters awards ceremony on April 5 at Hilton Garden Inn’s Regency Conference Center in O’Fallon.
Lifesaving Awards have been a part of the Girl Scout program since the movement started in 1912. Lifesaving awards are a form of recognition given to a registered Girl Scout who has saved or attempted to save a human life under circumstances that indicate heroism or risk of her own life. These awards are reserved for those Girl scouts who have performed heroic acts beyond the degree of maturity and training expected at their age.
