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Service Projects
Community
Awards
North Carolina Arbor
Day Poster Contest
Tidewater Arts Outreach
Local Girl Scouts Making a Difference
Community Service
Character, conduct and community service are core qualities of Girl Scouting.
In the very first handbook, written by Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low,
Girl Scouts pledged to "do a good turn everyday." If by chance, a girl went
through the entire day without doing a good deed, she was required to do two
the next day to make up for it!
Community service is an important element throughout the
Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
Girls are given opportunities as individuals working on awards and as members in
troops, groups and in service units. Girls learn important and valuable skills
through community service, skills that will help them develop into responsible
citizens.
Each year, the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast sponsors council-wide
community service projects. All girls and adults are invited to participate.
Ask a girl what girl Scouting means to her and the first they she will likely
say is, “Fun!” While that is true, many girls will also tell you that Girl Scouting
is where they learn about community service – about helping others and making
a difference in their neighborhoods and communities. Service is an inherent part
of Girl Scouting No matter at what age a girl joins, she can share in meaningful
projects that promote civic responsibility and see how her efforts can impact her
community. Girls can earn related wards like the Lead On Badge or the Leadership
Interest Project Award. The most coveted distinctions are the Girl Scout Gold Award,
the Girl Scout Silver Award, and the Girl Scout Bronze Award. Through community
service, girls can see that their involvement has the power to change the future.
You may find out about community organizations that may need volunteer help or
may direct you to a community service project by visiting the following Web sites:
Community
Awards
Many organizations in our area offer
opportunities to recognize shining stars
in our community. There are so
many people involved with the Girl
Scouts who are deserving of such an
award. Consider nominating a girl
or volunteer today!
10 On Your Side Shining Star: a
WAVY TV 10 award given out weekly to a
deserving Hampton Roads resident by WAVY
News 10's Alveta Ewell
Community Star: a WTKR award
given out weekly to a deserving Hampton
Roads resident
If you nominate someone, don't forget
to let us know! |
North Carolina Division of Forest
Resources Announces
Arbor Day
Poster Contest
The contest is open to all
5th grade students in North Carolina.
Posters must be submitted through the
student's school, but the activities can
be done in any setting. For more
information, please feel free to check
out our web site at:
http://www.dfr.state.nc.us/education/arbor_poster_contest.htm
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Poster & Poetry Contest Winners!
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Jasmine at the Francis Land House Museum during the opening reception of her exhibit.
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Payton and Jasmine, who met at teh performance, have formed a friendship and will be conducting a poetry workshop at Girl Fest together!
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Payton with her winning poster and poem which was on display at the Chrysler Hall.
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Jasmine with Doc Christian at Clear Channel.
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As a Girl Scout Silver Award project,
Chesapeake Cadette Girl Scout Jasmine
took photos of The Outback at A Place
for Girls and designed an educational
exhibit on the nature area. The Outback
is a designated Lou Henry Hoover
Sanctuary. The exhibit was showcased
during March, the Girl Scout birthday
month, at the Francis Land House Museum
in Virginia Beach. Her photographs will
also be on display at the Chesapeake
Central Library during June. Jasmine,
along with Cadette Girl Scout Peyton
from Virginia Beach, won the Maya
Angelou Poetry and Poster Contest that
was sponsored by Unique Lives and
Experiences, the organization that
hosted Maya Angelou's visit to Hampton
Roads. The girls were given free
admission tickets and their poems and
poetry were on exhibit at Chrysler Hall
during Maya's performance. Jasmine was
also interviewed by Doc Christian, the
community affairs director for Clear
Channel local radio stations. Peyton and
Jasmine were also asked to read their
poetry on Disney Radio's Kid's Concerns. |
What is a Lou Henry Hoover Memorial
Sanctuary?
The Lou Henry Hoover Memorial
Sanctuary project is a living memorial
to a dedicated member of the Girl Scout
movement.
A Lou Henry Hoover Memorial Sanctuary is
any natural area designated by a council
for the purpose of providing a setting
where Girl Scouts can gain an
understanding of the interrelationships
of all forms of life.
Girls must have a part in the analysis,
planning, development, and management of
the site. The initial plan for the
development and management must cover a
five year period.
The land designated as a Lou Henry
Hoover Memorial Sanctuary can be a
portion of a campsite or other land
owned by the council or the total
property. It can be a property, public
or private, on which the council has
obtained a written agreement with the
owner to establish a Lou Henry Hoover
Memorial Sanctuary. Such a written
agreement must establish beyond a doubt
the boundaries of the property to be
used as a Lou Henry Hoover Memorial
Sanctuary, the length of time it can be
used, conditions of its use, agreements
about any present or proposed
management, and agreements about present
use and future disposition. |
Equi-Kids
Riding
That Benefits The Body & Mind is
a therapeutic riding program that
serves over 70 adults and children in
its weekly riding program. An active
School Partnership Program allows
special needs students from the area's
public school systems to participate in
riding and theory classes once a week.
Therapeutic riding increases muscle
tone, balance and coordination;
generates feelings of self-worth and
self-confidence; and perpetuates
socialization skills with others.
You can make a difference in a variety
of ways:
- Volunteer for weekly lessons or
barn duties
- Adopt-A-Horse
- Donations of resources, time, and
talents
- Help on special projects
- Farm maintenance and upkeep
- Administrative services
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Hospitality for the Homeless
(HFH), based in Norfolk, VA, serves as a
re-distribution agency for travel-size
toiletries to those in need. National
inventory partners donate toiletries
which are re-packaged by community
service partners into Care Kits and are
distributed to recognized homeless
shelters and needs-based agencies. For
more information, or to find out how
your Girl Scout(s) can volunteer, email
info@hospitalityforthehomeless.org
or see their Web site at
www.hospitalityforthehomeless.org.
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Samaritan House Serving
homeless families & victims of domestic
violence. Samaritan House helps
families who are homeless or fleeing
domestic violence with emergency
shelter, case management, safety
planning, legal services and support
groups. They shelter more than 120
people a night from the region, which
means providing clothing, school
supplies and support to over 800
children annually. Children's services
are coordinated by our Children's
Program staff and include child care
assistance, summer camps, field trips
and homework help. More information can
be found at their Web site,
www.samaritanhouseva.org or call
(757) 631-0710. |
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Junior Troops Team Up
to Support Domestic Violence Awareness
Month During the month of
October, Junior Troop 360 from Great
Bridge & Junior Troop 464 from Virginia
Beach purchased a total of 40 boxes of
tissues. They covered them with
newspaper and decorated them with the
theme, "Be Strong and Courageous." These
boxes of tissues were placed in the
bedrooms at the YWCA's Women in Crisis &
Recovery Shelter and are being used in
the housewarming baskets for new
clients. Additionally, Jr. T roop 360 had
a representative from the shelter come
to their meeting and speak with them
about domestic violence. What a great
example of young girls helping and
encouraging women in their community. |
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Music and arts
service project opportunities in area
nursing homes and assisted living
facilities.
Tidewater Arts Outreach matches artists and musicians with opportunities to share their talents with special needs populations. Groups can create and present a project, or they can be matched with an artist to help execute a project with residents in area nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
For more information contact:
Tidewater Arts Outreach at (757) 410-4010
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Local Girl Scouts Making a Difference
Girl Scouts “Warm Up” to Patriotism
As a Junior Girl Scout Bronze Award Project, girls from troop 582 organized a patriotic community service day that took place at Glenwood Elementary School in Virginia Beach. The girls set up information stations with historical facts about the American flag, patriotic songs and national symbols for the girls in their service unit. In addition to visiting stations, the girls made quilt squares that will be donated to Operation Quiet Comfort for the creation of two quilts that will be given to injured military troops. Over 90 girls participated in decorating denim squares with messages of love and support. The Girl Scouts also collected travel size personal care items to send with the quilts. Each Girl Scout earned a badge and learned about the meaning of patriotism. For organizing the event, the girls in Junior Troop 582 were awarded the Junior Girl Scout Bronze Award. You may find out more about Operation Quiet Comfort at www.operationcomfort.com.
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Virginia Beach Junior Girl Scout’s Bronze Award Helps Friend and Others
Tori, a Junior Girl Scout from troop 112 in Virginia Beach, spent a Saturday this spring building a service ramp at the Green Run Pagoda as part of her Girl Scout Bronze Award. The ramp will make it easier for her friend and now fellow troop member, Jade, to access the building in her wheelchair. The troop holds weekly meetings at the site. According to Tori, she chose the project when she overheard her mother saying Jade could not join the troop due to the stairs at the Green Run Pagoda.
With her leaders help, Lisa DeAngelis and Dawn Burdick, Tori contacted the Green Run Homes Association to get permission to build a ramp. Not only did they give permission, but they supplied the material. While the ramp was being built, the troop helped Jade enter the building by lifting the wheelchair to the door. Upon the completion of the ramp, the troop held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the occasion and Tori’s Bronze Award success.
The Junior Bronze Award is the highest award a Junior Girl Scout may earn in Girl Scouting and requires completion of an individual or group project.
If you would like more community
service ideas, please visit our
scrapbook to view previous community
service projects.
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Please remember to contact the Council's communication director and share your stories how Girl Scouts in your neighborhood are making a difference. Contact her at marcyg@gsccc.org, or call her at 547-4405, ext. 258.
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