In July GSHPA Girl Scouts built courage, confidence and character.
From making mistakes – and learning from them, honoring a beloved leader to learning about cancer and taking an active role in preventing it, Girl Scouts in Dauphin, Lancaster, Lycoming and Schuylkill counties continue to contribute and shape the communities in which they live.
Crafting a silver lining in Tamaqua
Lilyanne H.’s Silver Award based on cell phone safety comes from personal experience. The Schuylkill County Tamaqua Troop 33013 Girl Scout discovered the meaning first-hand of learning more from a mistake, than from small successes.
After accidentally using her cell phone improperly – and receiving discipline for the use – Lilyanne created ways to warn other young cell phone users so they would not repeat her mistake. She converted the opportunity to service by interviewing a middle school principal and a police officer. From those exchanges, Lilyanne created and delivered a cell phone safety presentation to more than 300 girls. She designed a cell phone safety patch and invited Girl Scouts from across the country to informational online session opportunities. You can check out her video below!
Lancaster Troop 70356 adopts a memorial sea turtle
To honor and remember their late Girl Scout leader Connie Bauer Safko, Lancaster County Troop 70356 enjoyed an outdoor adventure weekend trip to the New Jersey shore – a favored destination of Safko’s.
Once at Cheesequake State Park, the girls enjoyed a trip to Turtle Back Zoo in Essex County, where they learned about sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation. After adopting “Max” whom the girls nick-named “Ms. Connie” the rescued sea turtle is receiving care at the rehabilitation center. Girls gathered to hold a memorial remembrance service for their beloved Girl Scout leader.
Visits from a robin and butterfly on their final day enjoying the beach reminded the girls of the cycle of life – and connections to the natural world – along with the importance of mindfully remembering those we have lost.
Sunscreen and skin cancer prevention in Dauphin County
Girls in Dauphin County Hershey Brownie Troop 11293 collected 57 bottles of sunscreen to be donated to 17 Central Pennsylvania school districts through Cocoa Packs Inc.
The girls’ donation was distributed at Cocoa Pack’s “Fun in the Sun” event, and as a reminder to safely enjoy outdoor weather by protecting your skin.
Cocoa Packs is a Hershey-based non-profit organization addressing food insecurity for those living in Central PA. Through events and the daily distribution of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on weekends, holidays and through the summer months, youngsters continue to receive meals during times when regular school meal programs are not in service.
Lycoming County Girl Scouts visit cancer center
Lycoming County Troop 62019 girls learned first-hand about cancer by visiting The Hillman Cancer Center. They made cards for those receiving chemotherapy treatments, met with two women at the center and watched a video explaining the cancer center’s services.
During their visit the girls presented cards they’d made along with a box of cookies to be enjoyed by patients. Understanding cancer is one way to de-mystify this devastating disease.
Girls learned how cancer affects the body, how tumor cells come about and how Girl Scouts of America Founder Juliette Gordon Low had suffered from breast cancer. They learned cancer treatments can be difficult medicine to take – in addition to coping with the illness. Side effects like fatigue, feeling sick and hair loss were part of the discussions. Now these girls better understand how kindness and compassion are vital to lift the spirits of cancer patients undergoing diagnosis and treatment.
Submit a Mission Moment today so we can showcase your Girl Scouts’ recent experiences and accomplishments next month! Visit our Mission Moment Recap webpage on the GSHPA Blog to see more Mission Moments from previous months.
*All Mission Moment information is submitted by volunteers/members. Should you have any questions regarding a submission, please email chirko@gshpa.org.