*Back row from left to right : Lyla F., Zoe H., Haley R., Hallie C.
Front row from left to right: Page S., Lexi W. and Olivia S.
It doesn’t take much to give back to the world.
This is what seven girls in the Girl Scout Troop 2249 have learned over the last two years.
On Tuesday, they completed a community service project with the Champaign County Humane Society that earned them their Bronze Award.
The girl scouts Bronze Award is gained as a junior girl scout. As the girls become a Cadette, they work towards the Silver Award and as a senior scout, they work towards the Gold Award.
The group set out to make an impact on the community in the spring of 2018 when they made slime to sell, then used the money to purchase items that the Humane Society needed.
About two months ago, the troop picked up where it left off, wanting to help animals who did not have a home.
“They brainstormed a list, and I think they chose the Humane Society because most of them have pets and animals. They just wanted to do something that they are passionate about already,” Troop Leader Daniele Frerichs said.
Frerichs, who grew up as a girl scout, said that she wanted her daughters to participate in the organization because they would not only learn about nature and being outdoors, but would also gain confidence and independence through the projects and community atmosphere that Girl Scouts fosters.
Earning the Bronze Award is something that is very intentional.
The girls are required to identify a need within their community, connect with the community and take action.
After the girls chose to help animals, they made flyers and social media posts to encourage people to donate items that the Human Society requested.
Because the organization is often stocked up on supplies for dogs, the girls set out to help with donations for the cats who are spending time at the shelter.
Once the items were donated by members of their school and by people who dropped them off at the troop’s meeting location, the girls spent a night at Camp Kiwanis to sort the items and roll newspapers for the animal cages.
As the donated items were dropped off on Tuesday, the girls were then able to play with three cats while they were there.
“There was a three-legged cat there, and I felt unfortunate for it because it had no home to go to,” 11-year old Lyla Frerichs said. “A lot of cats and dogs didn’t have any homes to go to.
“I would spend 24 hours with the animals if I were allowed to.”
Instead, Lyla, alongside her sister Isabella who is 9, will spend time with their troop and friends.
Lyla joined girl scouts as a kindergartner, she said, because “my BFF was doing it, and it seemed like a really fun challenge. And then it grew with me. And especially when my mom became a leader of the troop, I really enjoyed it.“
Isabella said she joined girl scouts because she gets to be with her friends, too.
“We get to go on trips, and have a fun time with them,” she said. “We learn to be responsible for ourselves and be friendly.”
Lyla also said that girl scouts has also taught her a lot about learning about other people.
“It creates a bonding experience with other girls I might not know, and you have to be a sister to other girl scouts,” she said. “It teaches you that even if you think that you might not like a person, getting to know them might actually change your opinion of them.”
The troop’s time together as junior girl scouts is coming to an end, though. Before the bridging ceremony, Troop 2249 has plans to go horseback riding and to a Cubs/Cardinals game together.
Frerichs hopes that as the girls get older, they will continue to look for opportunities to help the community with the friends they make through girl scouts.
“Now that I am getting to do the Silver Award, I am really dedicated to girl scouts,” Lyla said.
