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Gold Award
Girl Scout Gold Award
2008 Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients: A Little Love for Russian Babies Ashley Martin (North Collins Resident) Ashley’s project supplied homemade blankets to children in a Russian orphanage. She educated her community on the needs of children overseas and through a series of sleepovers with younger Girl Scouts and adult participation, was able to make 20 blankets. Carolyn’s House (Group Project) Jacquelyn DiMura, Hillary Figler, Lauren Fonte, Alexandria Morell, and Andrea Nicolia, (Grand Island Residents) Jacquelyn, Hillary, Lauren, Alexandria and Andrea designed an educational brochure and invitation to a Bedtime Bundle party for younger Girl Scouts and non Girl Scouts. They taught the younger girls how to sew fleece blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals for the residents of Carolyn’s House—a domestic violence shelter for women and children. Cultural Awareness Priya Singhal (Williamsville resident) Priya's project helped make children more aware of the world around them. Through the use of stories, books, arts & crafts, and songs, children were taught about the differences and similarities among themselves and the people who surround them. Her project allowed the children to be open to new people and ideas. Girl Scouts Care about Foster Kids Rebecca Chilson (Delevan Resident) When children are placed into foster care, they usually do not have clothing or personal belongings with them. For her Gold Award project, Rebecca gathered donations and put together backpacks and/or duffle bags containing personal care items; a soft, warm, hand-made fleece blanket; school supplies; and a note of hope that caseworkers from the Cattaraugus County Social Services Department could give to children in their care. Homeless Awareness Sleepover Lynn Domico (Hamburg Resident) Lynn hosted two sleepovers that educated her community about the needs of the homeless by simulating a soup kitchen, sorting donated clothing, listening to a social worker talk about the issues of homelessness, and sleeping outside in boxes. Lynn gathered donations from all facets of the community—friends, family, neighbors, area businesses and her troop. Kadimah School Improv Club (Group Project) Maria Todaro and Emily Bolles (Grand Island Resident) Maria Todaro and Emily Bolles provided an improv club for the students at Kadimah School. They used improv games found on the internet, a “Bucket of Improv” from Destination ImagiNation, and passed on games they learned. The club met after school on Mondays for six consecutive weeks. For the sixth week, the students put on an improv show for their families and friends showcasing what they learned. Lights, Camera, Action! (Group Project) Erica Bistoff, Melissa Jaje, (Depew Residents) and Nicole Mang (Lancaster Resident) Erica, Melissa and Nicole collected hundreds of videos and DVD's for two separate rooms at Hospice-one for children and one for adults. The girls divided the donations according to each room, labeled and catalogued them. “We saw our project come together from activities we did in early Girl Scouts. What we learned helped us with this project.” Orchard Park Elementary Student Redistricting (Group Project) Deanna Wach, Molly Minogue and Angela Salerno (Orchard Park Residents) Next year, a redistricting process in Orchard Park will mean many students will be relocated to different primary schools. Deanna, Molly and Angela’s goal was to make this transition easier for the approximatly 600 students and parents who will be affected. They designed and organized a school-specific treasure hunt for four elementary schools in the district to allow students to find their way to essential areas within the school. Patient Smile (Group Project) Courtney Olivieri (Hamburg Resident) and Sarah Skelton (Orchard Park Resident) The goal of Courtney and Sarah’s project was to entertain children at the hospital. While families were in the Emergency Waiting Room, Courtney and Sarah provided a place for kids (both well and sick) to play games and color. They assembled and handed out activity bags to those children too sick or shy to leave their parents. Many parents commented that it was so nice to have something for their kids to do. Project SPCA: Special Packages Caring for Animals Deborah Garth (Getzville Resident) Deborah raised awareness of the animal shelter's needs by collecting food and pet supplies from community members, and working at the shelter for many hours. Her volunteer work included cleaning cages to ensure a safe and clean place for recovering pets; sterilizing operating rooms; socializing frightened cats to prepare them for adoption; preparing activities for young visitors on fieldtrips; updating the adoption website to guarantee that pets listed on the website were currently at the shelter; and assisting in the advancement of the SPCA of Erie County’s rank on the national website, www.zootoo.com Reptile Habitat at Beaver Meadow Rebecca Frank (Alden Resident) Rebecca’s project focused on the needs of a new reptile habitat at Beaver Meadow. She worked with Mr. Ferhinger of the Audubon Society in designing and building cages for various reptiles. The project included drawing blueprints of the cages, measuring the dimensions and marking them on the floor and walls; cutting, planning and assembly of the wood frames; and fastening them to the walls and ceilings. Rebecca also had a plaque made up that teaches visitors about the snakes. The Joe Ciancio Memorial Games Shannon Cook (Orchard Park Resident) “A Player May Pass, But Their Legacy Never Dies” expresses Shannon’s thoughts about Joe Ciancio, a 14-year-old West Seneca boy who lost his life in a tragic car crash. Joe was a well-accomplished hockey player who played for the West Seneca Wings. Shannon organized a memorial hockey clinic for boys and girls to teach them how to skate and play hockey. Clinics were held for children ages 4 to 20 at the Depew Ice Rink and the Holiday Twin Rinks. The Power of Music Pooja Bakhai (Williamsville resident) Pooja’s Gold Award project brought the thrill of chamber music to senior citizens with dementia. She formed a clarinet quartet with students from her school and gave a two-hour performance. The concert was professionally recorded and given to Bassett Manor for future use. Several schools and music leaders throughout the United States also received a copy of the CD to inspire other students to form musical groups. |
