Girl Scouts engaged in a variety of activities celebrating heritage, community service, and the holiday spirit. Across our council, troops exemplified creativity, compassion, and teamwork in making a positive impact on their communities. Check out this month’s Mission Moments.
Honored for Bronze in York County
Girl Scout Troop 20365 was honored at a Bronze Award ceremony for their incredible work making Kota Bear Kare packages for children battling cancer. The girls were featured on Fox 43 for their dedication and commitment to helping the community.
Heritage and civics in York County
The Girl Scouts at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hanover learned about and celebrated their local heritage with a tour of the 1913 neo-classical Warehime-Myers Mansion by members of the Hanover Area Historical Society.
The troop also had a special guest come to Juliette Lowe’s birthday party this year. Rep. Kate Klunk helped them complete their Democracy badge requirement. They discussed our different levels of government, branches of government, and the legislative process. It was a fun and informative evening!
Sharing holiday joy in Luzerne County
In December, Girl Scout troops from South Wilkes-Barre regaled residents of Allied Services on Northampton Street with holiday music. The girls sang along with the residents who were extremely happy to participate in the singalong. Girls also spent time distributing homemade ornaments that they created for the entire facility. Their leaders, Erin Cebula, Paula Weihbrecht, and Kathy Lockman, were very proud of their Girl Scouts’ accomplishments.
Climbing to new heights in Lycoming County
Girls from Service Units 628 and 624 in Lycoming County had an action-packed day of rock-wall climbing and bouldering. The adventure began with the girls tackling the taller climbing walls, where they were paired with skilled staff members who safely belayed them, allowing the climbers to focus solely on their ascent.
For a different challenge, the bouldering area offered shorter but equally demanding climbing routes. Without ropes, bouldering requires strength, technique, and focus as climbers work their way through various routes on the wall. Thirty-two girls from nine troops (60036, 60271, 60278, 62015, 62019, 61238, 62026, 62029, and 62070) participated. Shout out to Boulders and Bubbles in Milton for creating a fun and safe environment where the girls could explore their climbing potential.
Serving seniors in Perry County
The Daisies and Brownies of Troop 10716 in Duncannon visited Stonebridge Health and Rehabilitation Center for their Christmas Crafting with Seniors service project on Dec. 15. Three juniors from Troop 10702 joined to help the younger Girl Scouts with this girl-led project as they guided and assisted residents in decorating miniature Christmas trees and making sock snowmen. The staff and residents asked the girls to come again soon! They are already planning their next crafting with seniors service project.
Doing good in Dauphin County
As part of their fall service project Brownies and Juniors in Troop 10840 collected blankets for the YWCA of Harrisburg. The troop collected a total of 69 new and gently used blankets. Blankets ranged in size from baby/infant, kids, throws, twin, queen, and king size. The Girl Scouts used part of their fall product sale proceeds to purchase 15 blankets for the drive. The blankets were dropped off at the YWCA right before the holidays. The donations will keep women and families warm this winter.
Acts of kindness in Wayne County
This holiday season, Girl Scout Troop 52238, part of Service Unit 510 in Honesdale, brought joy to the residents of Ellen Memorial Health Care Center. The troop, comprising 11 Brownies and Juniors from second to fourth grade, dedicated two meetings to create 108 unique shadowbox art pieces. Using natural elements, they personally collected—such as sticks, rocks, shells, sea glass, and seeds—the girls crafted personalized gifts. They used funds from their fall and cookie sale fundraisers to purchase supplies like frames, tissue paper, bags, and hot glue, while the natural materials were gathered by the girls themselves.
On a snowy day, the troop hand-delivered these thoughtfully packaged gifts in reusable cloth bags to the residents, engaging warmly with each individual. They assisted in unwrapping the presents, shared stories about the creation of the art, and extended heartfelt holiday wishes, including Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year. The residents were elated by the visit, and the girls left with a profound sense of fulfillment, knowing they had brightened the day for others. This act of kindness not only exemplified the Girl Scout spirit of community service but also fostered meaningful connections between the young Girl Scouts and the elderly residents, leaving a lasting impact on all involved.
Sharing sweet times in Lycoming County
Girl Scout Troop 60271 from Lycoming County celebrated the holiday season in the most fun way possible with a gingerbread house-building competition! The girls were split into six teams of two, each tasked with building and decorating a unique, sweet creation. But this competition was about more than just making the most impressive house; it was about having fun, being creative, and cheering each other on. As the girls worked, it was clear that each team had their own decorating flair. From candy-covered roofs to frosting-covered walls, the gingerbread houses began to take shape. Once the houses were finished, the girls proudly showed off their hard work. After much deliberation, their troop leader, Sarah Marie Kline, chose the winner of the team with the best gingerbread house. It was a sweet experience filled with laughter, teamwork, holiday spirit, and a lifetime of memories!
Spreading cheer in Lackawanna County
Troop 50070 spent an evening with the residents at Willowbrook Senior Living. The troop sang carols and made crafts with the residents. Juniors and Brownies took the lead with singing carols; they even had kazoos to play along to some songs! The residents had a great time joining in with singing carols. The Cadettes prepared the craft that the seniors liked so much they did more than one! They had a great time spreading holiday cheer to the residents and look forward to spreading more cheer in the future!
Making the world a better place in Wayne County
Girl Scout Troop 52238 of Service Unit 510 in Honesdale also came together to address food insecurity in their community through a thoughtful and impactful food drive. Wanting to go beyond asking their families for donations, the girls designed large collection boxes made from cardboard, wrapped in white paper, and decorated with festive designs. One of the boxes proudly displayed the message, “Make the World a Better Place,” a key tenet of the Girl Scout Law. These boxes were placed in four generous local businesses: Dave’s Super Duper, The Alpine, Ambeez Toys/Bas Brothers, and Gifts by Cher. The food drive ran for about five weeks, intentionally extending past Thanksgiving to ensure families had the food they needed over the Christmas season. Parent volunteers regularly collected donations from the stores and stored them until the final delivery. On Friday, Dec. 20, the collected food—enough to fill a pallet—was delivered to the Wayne County Food Pantry. The girls’ creativity and dedication, combined with the generosity of the community and support from local businesses, made this project a success. Troop 52238 hopes their efforts will make a meaningful difference for families in need, especially during this time of year. By living out the Girl Scout Law, they truly worked to make the world a better place.
Getting in the spirit of the season
Thirty girls from troops 60124, 60271, 60278, 62019, 62026, and 62029 in Service Units 628 and 624 in Lycoming County teamed up to spread cheer and joy through holiday caroling at Wolf Run Village Senior Living Community in Hughesville. Dressed in festive holiday attire, the girls filled the air with various beloved holiday songs, including the classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” bringing smiles and warmth to the residents. In addition to their musical performance, the girls also took the opportunity to give back to the community by collecting non-perishable food items. These donations were distributed to local blessing boxes across Lycoming County, ensuring their goodwill extends beyond the walls of the senior living community. The event was a heartwarming blend of festive entertainment and community service, reflecting the true spirit of the season.
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 cmolitoris@gshpa.org.