Girls Scouts around the world pledge to “be prepared,” but the group known as Lake Highlands Service Unit 165 look just about ready to save the world. Earlier this month, dozens of scouts aged 5 to 16 gathered to tackle eleven different outreach projects — the perfect number to celebrate the 111th birthday of Girl Scouts of America.
Projects included:
- packing kits for neighbors experiencing homelessness at The Stewpot,
- assembling cleaning supply buckets as a “Welcome Home” gift for new refugee families,
- assembling activity boxes for children at Network of Community Ministries,
- loading and distributing groceries (and donated boxes of Girl Scout cookies) for families at Hamilton Park UMC’s “Path to Nourishment” program,
- collecting trash at White Rock Lake with For the Love of the Lake, where one Brownie was overheard saying, “I don’t like cleaning my room, but I like this,”
- honoring Texas veterans by cleaning the Texas Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Fair Park,
- organizing the mobile book library at Feed Lake Highlands,
- organizing the food pantry at Mt. Zion Baptist Church,
- crafting thank you notes for first responders to distribute with cookies,
- visiting memory care patients at Twin Rivers Senior Living, where girls sang songs and had fun with Play-doh, and
- making a blanket for Project Linus benefitting children who are seriously ill.
“Girl Scouts is a place for every girl, and we want to make sure families know they are always welcome to join this movement,” shared unit manager Lowry Manders. “We all know that there is bad news every day, but as Girl Scouts we want to make good news as we work to fulfill our mission of making the world a better place.”
If you are interested in joining the Girl Scouts or you’re looking for a fun way to serve girls in Lake Highlands — especially girls who don’t get many other opportunities outside school — email LowryManders@yahoo.com.