Seven Tioga County Girl Scout troops and more than 40 scouts from the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways were acknowledged at a “Precious Metals Celebration” on Friday, Feb. 8 at the Nathan T. Hall Elementary School in Newark Valley, N.Y.
Several Bronze and Silver Awards were presented, along with one Gold Award. All of the projects completed by the scouts benefitted various groups and programs within Tioga County.
Apalachin scouts from Troop 40514 received the Bronze Award for two separate projects that aided the Apalachin Elementary School. Books about women in history were donated, and sensory areas for students who struggle emotionally were installed. Also out of Apalachin, scouts from Troop 40860 achieved a Silver Award for donating handmade blankets and pillows, among other items, to A New Hope Center in Owego.
Newark Valley scouts from Troop 40061 were awarded Bronze for cleaning the cat shelter and donating pet supplies to the Animal Care Council in Endicott.
Also out of Newark Valley, scouts from Troop 40273 received a Silver Award for multiple projects benefitting service unit camps, and another Silver Award was given for the creation of signage at Owego’s Mapleridge Ranch. Second Chance Thoroughbreds, located in Spencer, N.Y., was the recipient of a horse therapy walk, and which resulted in a Bronze award for the scouts.
Owego scouts from Troop 40925 were honored with Silver Awards for two projects evolving around the “Excitement of Reading.” Following a door-to-door collection process, more than 1,400 used books were donated to various groups in the county. Books were also saved for the Little Free Library, a colorful underwater-themed mini-house designed and constructed by the scouts. The library, a book-sharing initiative, is easily accessible near the playground at Owego’s Marvin Park.
Richford scouts from Troop 40276 received Silver Awards for various projects. Some scouts learned to knit for the first time and then donated 144 hand-knitted hats to A New Hope Center. Also at the center, the scouts refurbished the playground, and topped off their efforts by hand-painting a message-inspired picnic table. In addition, two Little Free Libraries were built and installed for community use, and a GaGa ball pit was added at Richford’s Rawley Park.
Richford Town Supervisor, Charles Davis, remarked, “Girl Scouts do make a difference in their communities.”
A New Hope Center’s Executive Director, Fran Bialy, attended the ceremony and recognized the scout’s efforts as being an important connection to the community.
Bialy commented, “I am so glad you could help us out.”
Bialy further explained that the scouts’ “Hats for Hope” project provides a sense of comfort to the center’s clients, and the scouts’ hand-painted picnic table is now a treasured piece at the center.
Kristina Knight from Newark Valley Girl Scout Troop 41211 received the Gold Award for her project, “Bee Aware.” The Gold Award is considered the most prestigious award in the Girl Scouts program.
Knight’s project focused on building a bee garden for endangered bumblebees at Waterman Conservation Center in Apalachin. A process that encompassed more than a year, Knight attended beekeeper meetings, took garden classes, sourced donations, met with professionals at Cornell Botanic Gardens and learned about the inner-workings of “bee hotels” at Ithaca’s Cornell Cooperative Extension. Among other efforts, Knight also spent time with youth at a Waterman Center camp.
You can learn more about Knight’s “Bee Aware” project by visiting https://bee-aware.weebly.com/what-have-i-done.html.
For additional information, find the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, Inc. on Facebook or at www.gsnypenn.org/.
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