Our Junior Girl Scout
troop along with the University of Houston College of
Education decorated book bags and filled them with books
to be donated to the Houston Area Reading Is Fundamental
(RIF) program, which gives books to underprivileged
children. We also went “Caroling for Cans”
at Christmas time. We let our neighbors know that we’d
be caroling on a specific evening, and asked them to
have cans for the food bank ready for us to collect.
If they were not going to be home, we asked them to
place the cans on their front porch. We collected more
than 200 cans of food for the Interfaith Ministries
Food Bank.
K. Schoder
Troop #1162 |
We visited an assisted care facilty in The Woodlands where
we laughed and sang songs with the singers. But the best part
was watching our girls play bingo – some for the first
time. I think the adults had more fun than the girls.
Annie Pettit
Troop #8205
This year we decided to do Operation Easter bunny. We gathered
baskets and tons of goodies for the girls to put together.
We made 16 of them! We took them to Hardin County Victims
Assistance Unit and they distributed them to children who
have been abused and neglected. The girls did a great job
putting this together. They felt really good knowing they
had helped children have a happy Easter and we received
a very nice appreciation letter from the Crime Unit.
Robin Humphrey
Troop #4000
Last November
our troop put together 20 toiletry bags and delivered
them to the Women’s Center in The Woodlands. All
the toiletry items were donated by the girls and included
full bottles of shampoo and conditioner, wash clothes,
toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, razors, lotion, etc.
The third grade girls had a good time assembling the
kits and learned a lot about helping others in need.
Theresa Harris
Troop #8174 |
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For the last three years I have chaired our
service unit’s Juliette Low Birthday/Halloween Party.
The first year the party was a Bronze Award project for my
troop. To keep with the birthday party theme, each girl was
asked to bring a birthday party item to donate. The party
was well attended with more than 100 Girl Scouts. After the
party, the troop organized the donations into birthday party
bags. Each bag contained a complete birthday party: a cake
mix, frosting, candles, paper plates, napkins, party favors,
and a small gift. We then donated the “party bags”
to the Bay Area Turning Point Shelter for women and children.
We have donated approximately 100 party bags. Also in the
summer of 2004, four of the girls from our troop planned and
presented a series of children’s story times at a local
library. The girls picked a theme for each party, and prepared
a story (ies), crafts, songs or games, and even a couple of
puppet shows, that fit the theme. The children love it and
the library was very pleased.
Cindy Forsyth
Troop #1304
Our Daisy
Girl Scout troop did quite a few good deeds last year.
We had each girl bring in a new or gently used book
for Ben Taub Hospital. We contributed more than 40 books
to the children at Ben Taub. We also planted Daisies
in planters around the playground of the school where
we hold our meetings.
Kim Glover,
Troop #21077 |
Our troop started out at the end of spring helping out with
the Challengers baseball teams. They needed many volunteers
so that the handicapped children could play and their parents
could sit in the stands for a change. Every time the girls
helped out they receive two community service hours.
This did not even matter at the end of the whole thing –
they walked away with such fulfillment. My girls are now getting
ready to organize the upcoming season for their Silver Award.
Leda Brown
Troop #5617
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Our Daisy
troop donated teddy bears to the Houston Police Department
in order to help comfort children who the police department
has to take in for care. We also donated Christmas gifts
to Daisy-aged girls during the holidays to a local shelter.
Our girls learned that not all little girls have loving
families or families that can afford the things they
have and that it feels good to give to others. It’s
like being a gift for a new friend.
Donya S. Gay
Troop #4233 |
My Junior troop participated in several service projects last
year; however, I believe the girls had two such efforts they
enjoyed most. Last September, we helped Ashford United Methodist
Church at their annual Peppermint Fair. The girls took control
of the games area showing participants how to play each game
and distributing prizes. Everyone also had time to explore
the fair as well. Over the course of last year, two of
my Juniors earned their Bronze award by assisting Brownie
Troop #17058. Our whole troop created a Girl Scout board game,
which we donated to the Brownies along with various musical
instruments we’d made. All my girls enjoyed helping
the younger Girl Scouts in these Girl Scout-oriented service
projects.
Wendy Robbins
Troop #5455
I personally
believe that service projects are the most critical
factor of Girl Scouts, especially for older girls. They
learn the power of making a difference in the community.
Service is great because each girl can act using her
own best talents and interests. As a leader, I hope
to open the eyes of girls to a variety of opportunities
with the hope that someday they will take the idea to
a higher level. I enjoyed making cinnamon ornaments
with younger girls, Juniors liked making nine-bean soup
mix and older girls loved the WWW United, Inc. learning
board project. We have had fun cleaning our community
and leading younger girls. Once a girl experiences the
joy of serving she will continue.
Carol McKenzie
Troop #3612 |
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