220 Girls from 33 Troops Attended

We’ve included some patch suggestions to give to participants. See all our fun patches.

They  learned what to do if you get lost; hiking basics; shelter basics, including actually setting up a tent; packing and backpack basics; first aid basics; how to build a fire; s’more making; and leave no trace.  Each attendee received an event shirt, water bottle, backpack, individual first aid kit, whistle, handouts from each booth and each troop left the event with a Backpacker First Aid Kit donated by REI of Houston.

The troop gives special thanks to REI of Houston and LNT.org for helping make their event complete with support, resources, and even attending the day of the event.

Troop 13514 is based at Kohrville Elementary in Klein ISD and is comprised of 10 4^th graders from Kohrville Elementary, Blackshear Elementary, Krahn Elementary, and Bernshausen Elementary.  The girls in this troop love to camp and are community service centered.  This year they opted to teach other Girl Scouts to camp rather than taking their annual destination camping trip.

Troop 3315 showed its dedication to helping others and the community.

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The girls collected and donated 1,600 pounds of pet food and supplies to The Pet Rescue Center.  This non-profit organization has a goal of saving the lives of dogs and cats at risk of euthanasia. Serving the Southern California, they provide assistance to at risk dogs and cats.  Programs include Rescue Rehab Re-home, Education and Pet Pantry. For more information, visit online at www.thepetrescuecenter.org. The girls have dedicated over 100 hours of community service to helping pets.

The Pet Pantry program provides hundreds of pounds of food and litter each month. The program helps over 175 cats and dogs owned by low-income pet owners throughout Orange County, California. The members of Troop 3315 collected the 1,600 pounds by partnering with local Pet Plus store locations in Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Mission Viejo and San Juan Capistrano. www.petsplusca.com The girls from Troop 3315 also reached out to family, friends and neighbors to help collect pet food donations.

Making the Project Sustainable

Of course a project needs to be sustainable in order for the girls to earn their Bronze Award. Our Girls Scouts made our Bronze award project sustainable in two ways.

First, they created a you tube video which shares with other Girl Scouts troops how they can meet the requirements of a take action project by helping the Pet Rescue Center. The video was also posted on the pet rescue center website so it can also reach a broader community. Sharing the video in this blog will also help make the project sustainable.

Second, we made an introduction to our contact at the local family owned pet store Pets Plus to the Pet Rescue Center. The pet store agreed to make donations in the future as well directly to the Pet Rescue Center. It was important to our Girl Scout troop that the project continue on into the future to help pets.

Quotes from troop members:

Brooke Plummer, Junior Girl Scout, “We choose to help The Pet Rescue Center because we love dogs and cats and wanted to learn how to be more responsible in taking care of pets.”

Bella Coveyou, Junior Girl Scout, “We put the Girl Scout Promise and Law into action. We also put our artistic, communication, and leadership skills into action.”

Rosanna Coveyou, Troop Leader, “These girls are remarkable young leaders and have made a huge difference in our community helping over 175 dogs and cats.”

Quotes from The Pet Rescue Center:

Lynne Ehrlich, the Educational Outreach Coordinator from The Pet Rescue Center said, “All of us at The Pet Rescue Center are simply blown away by your over the top effort to raise money and donations for our Pet Pantry program!

Together you have had a huge positive impact on our community and you have set an amazing example of how each of us can make a huge difference when we all come together for a goal –there are no limits!!! Congratulations on earning your Bronze Award!! You are all amazing and very special!”

Financial donations are always in need, as grant opportunities are limited. “These funds allow The Pet Rescue Center the opportunity to reach out and help pet owners in crisis, in our community, by providing pet food, cat litter, and other items (beds, shampoo, leashes, etc.), enabling families to keep their pets and thereby lowering the intake at shelters” stated Blythe Wheaton Co-Founder of The Pet Rescue Center.

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Helping Military Families and Their Pets

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Pets sometimes have a rough time, especially in military families, and we wanted to figure out how we can help. Military members’ pets are sometimes abandoned, either before a PCS (Permanent Change of Station) or when they deploy. This is something that affects all of us.

From our first meeting, we knew we wanted to help pets. The Bronze Award is led by us.  That means we all had to decide our goal and be able to communicate together. We have to put in at least 20 hours each to earn it, which means we put in over 240 hours from our troop!

On a Saturday, we spent nine hours together learning all about pets. We made pet first aid kits, and learned how to properly care for the pets we have or want.

Courtney also talked to the girls about the business side of helping animals and the girls all made their our own business plan, and almost all of them were about pets. We want to open them now!

Katie with Paws Abroad came to talk to us about the five pet freedoms. They need

1. Freedom from hunger
2. Freedom from Discomfort
3. Freedom from Pain
4. Freedom from Fear
5. And the freedom to do what they want!

She taught us how to be responsible pet owners. Most of us either have or want pets, so this will help us out a lot. “It was important to learn how to take care of pets… If we don’t, they might feel pain or not get the right care and they can’t speak for themselves or feed themselves,” said Reagan, a Girl Scout in our troop.

We finished the day by making dog and cat toys. We used some of the money we raised from cookie sales to do this. Half of us did not know how to braid, so we learned how to by making braided rope dog toys. We had a lot of fun making those and made almost 50 of them. Then, we used an old blanket to make catnip filled cat toys. Those were a lot harder, and took a lot more work, so we made 20. They were worth it in the end though, and we learned new skills! We hope the pets have fun with them.

When talking about using our cookie money for the toys, Vanessa from our troop said, “It is a better feeling to give something than to receive something.” We all agree!

We now know what is needed before we adopt a pet, and what we need to think about. We all definitely still want pets, but know now the responsibility we have to the pets we adopt. You cannot just adopt a pet and rehome it afterwards. It is a lifelong commitment. The pet will move with us, travel with us, and be a part of our family! We hope to share this with our military family, and have them think before adopting.

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Aimee Beck is a Junior Girl Scout leader overseas. Her troop is Ramstein Girl Scout Junior Troop 443. This is her second year as a leader, with many more to come.

The 3 Parts

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The girls worked on their Girl Scout Bronze Award in three parts: held a sock drive, made blankets, and designed large ceiling tiles for the children’s bedrooms. The girls earned money for the cost of the supplies through the cookie sale program and nuts/candy and magazine fundraiser that Girl Scouts run every year. We also used some of the dues money to cover the cost of the items.

Sock Drive

They held a sock drive at two schools to collect new socks to help keep the children’s feet warm.

Blankets for the Kids

Girls also made blankets to help cover the children’s beds and add color and cheer to their rooms. The most expensive part of their project was the blankets. We made one per girl, so at that time we had a Girl Scout troop of 10. I bought them at a local fabric store when they were on sale, and used a coupon and don’t forget to use your tax-exempt number. The blankets were $12 a piece, but they were double-sided fleece.

Colorful Tiles to Bring a Smile

All we needed was paint, brushes, and their imagination. Each piece of artwork was as different and unique as each girl in the troop. When we took a field trip to deliver these items to the rehab hospital, they were greeted with smiles and happiness from the residents.

As leaders we were concerned as to how the girls would react to seeing the children in wheelchairs, hooked to breathing machines, and many immobile in beds.  What a surprise they gave us because they went right inside without hesitation and full of positive energy.  This goes to show how Girl Scouting has helped to teach girls to be confident, courageous and kind to all people no matter what their abilities.  We were very proud of the girls in Girl Scout Troop 418 and hope to inspire other troops to reach out and help those children that are less fortunate than them.  Each girl came away with good feelings of inspiration to do a good turn daily and many reflected how lucky they truly were to be healthy and have loving families.

I made a troop scrapbook with photographs documenting their journey, and had each girl write what it meant to them to be a part of this project. The scrapbook has become a troop-treasured keepsake. We celebrated with an award ceremony and family picnic to end the year.

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My name is Vesna Dan I work as a substitute teacher in the schools, am a GS Leader, mom of three girls. In addition to being a troop leader, I am also the Service Unit Troop Registrar, and Troop Organizer, and a New Leader Orientation training facilitator. I enjoy reading, working with my Girl Scout troop, attending Broadway shows in NYC, and vacationing with my family. We live in Sparta, NJ, and belong to GSNNJ Girl Scouts of Northern NJ.

Taking the Project to the Community

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While working on this project, the troop noticed a need for Little Libraries in their local community and they set out to fill that need.

Thanks to this hardworking troop, Honey Bee Boba Tea Shop and the Salvation Army in Eastern Missouri now have their own Little Libraries.

Great job girls!

3 Methods for Making Your Own Free Libraries

Depending on your woodworking comfort level and how much time you want to spend, here are three excellent, highly detailed plans you can use:

1. The Standard “Cedar Roof Basic” Library

If you want the classic, iconic look of a miniature wooden house with a pitched roof, this blueprint is the standard go-to. You can download the official, community-tested layout via the Little Free Library Standard Plans (PDF).

2. The “Lazy Little Library” (Pocket-Hole Method)

You need a pocket-hole jig (like a Kreg tool) but this method creates incredibly strong, hidden joints that keep the exterior looking completely clean and seamless.

Step-by-step assembly diagrams can be found on the Kreg Tool Lazy Little Library Plans.

3. The “Cabinet Hack” (Easiest & Most Sustainable)

If you want to skip building a complex box from scratch, you can upcycle old furniture. And use resources wisely!

Follow the guide on Live Free Creative Co
to see how to add a pitched roof framing directly onto the top of a cabinet. You just screw a simple triangular frame to the top, overlay it with leftover plywood, and cap it with shingles.

Official Registration: If you want your library to show up on the global map so neighbors can find it, you can grab an official charter sign through the Little Free Library Organization.

Find a Little Free Library by You

Want to find Little Free Libraries near you? Get the Little Free Library mobile app! Get it in the App Store for iOS devices or the Google Play Store for Android devices.

The Little Free Library app makes it easy to find little library locations near you. You can get directions, save your favorites, track the libraries you visit, and even earn badges! If you’re a Little Free Library steward, there’s a section of the app just for you where you can edit your library’s details.

How It All Started

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Before even breaking ground, the troop did their homework. They surveyed 230 local students and uncovered some deeply moving statistics:

• 82% of students had been significantly affected by the loss of a pet.
• 67% stated that having a dedicated space to mourn would genuinely help them heal.

When they pitched the idea to the Reno City Council, Mayor Hillary Schieve was floored, telling the girls, “You knocked my socks off.”

Met with an Act of Cruelty

The girls spent months working on the project. But just two weeks after completing the vibrant paint job—and right before they could add the final finishing touches—the project was targeted by vandals. Someone poured white paint completely over the rainbow-colored tribute.

But instead of letting a cruel act ruin their hard work, Troop 508 proved exactly how resilient they are.

Rolling Up Their Sleeves

Undeterred by the destruction, the troop didn’t skip a beat. Backed by the Reno Parks Department, the girls rolled up their sleeves, grabbed their brushes, and repainted every single stripe.

“The city described the finished bridge as ‘a beautiful and peaceful place to mourn the loss of our beloved four-legged family members who have crossed the rainbow bridge into the great beyond’—and called the girls’ response ‘inspiring.'”

Thanks to their determination, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on December 7 right on schedule. The Reno Police Department filed a report and is currently investigating the incident.

Ultimately, the act of malice failed. The bridge stands proud, the ribbon has been cut, and a determined group of young girls showed their entire community that unity and compassion will always outlast hate.

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For books that celebrate the special role that animal companions play in our lives, visit A Mighty Girl “Her Best Friend: 60 Books About Mighty Girls and Their Pets” at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11577

A Mission to Save Lives

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After identifying a gap in local safety knowledge, this dedicated scout partnered with local heroes—our firefighters—to launch a Carbon Monoxide safety project. The initiative didn’t just stop at education; it provided tangible solutions to keep families safe in their homes.

Why Carbon Monoxide Awareness Matters

Often called the “silent killer,” Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can be fatal if not detected. By distributing safety kits and educational materials, this Silver Award project addressed:

• The Importance of Detectors: Ensuring homes have functioning CO alarms.
• Early Detection: Teaching families how to recognize the symptoms of CO poisoning.
• Prevention: Sharing tips on maintaining appliances and venting systems properly.

Leadership in Action

To complete a Silver Award, a scout must spend at least 50 hours researching, planning, and executing their project. Seeing our youth collaborate with local fire departments shows the power of leadership and the impact one person can have on the safety of an entire neighborhood.

Congratulations!

We want to extend a huge congratulations to this scout for her hard work and for earning her Silver Award. Her project is a shining example of what it means to “make the world a better place.”

Answers From Other Girl Scout Leaders compiled from our Facebook Page

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“Silver projects are not troop projects. Google Girl Scout silver projects and you can find ideas. Use her interests. If she likes animals have her contact a local animal shelter to see what they need. My niece made animal rescue bags. Another girl made beds. Check with a nature center or children’s hospital. They all have needs. It just depends on her interest.” Linda

“Why do you feel she needs a troop? Most of my troop earned their Silver, but they worked on their own for their projects. We only did the prerequisites as a group.  It should be up to her, not you, what she does. What is her passion? What interests her? Learning to find a need in the community is part of what they’re supposed to learn. One of my girls lost an uncle to cancer and was blindsided so she created a program for kids during a Relay for Life, teaching them about cancer. One is super artistic and worked at a home similar to a Ronald McDonald house, created decorate tiles with the residents and made a walkway through their garden with them. My whole family is involved in animal rescue so one of my daughters digitized all the past issues of the rescue’s newsletters and made a searchable database on their website. My other daughter is fascinated by the local wildlife refuge and saw that their turtle habitat was rundown. She worked with 2 friends to rebuild it. There are projects all around you.  Kudos for both of you staying as a Juliette! It’s harder without a troop, imo.” Tracey 

“What is her passion? One of my girls loved to sew. Another preferred crafts. They met a nurse who worked pediatrics and their projects just blossomed. One was to make 30 pillowcases in kids fabrics (donated, thank goodness by a local quilting guild). The other was to make beautiful fabric covered composition books. Check out places you love to go – any favorite state or national park? See what you can do to help.” Kristen

“You can easily incorporate petals into fields trips as well!! For example courageous and strong/respect authority could be a visit to the police/fire station. Being a sister to every Girl Scout could be a Christmas book exchange between your troop. Honest and fair having the girls divide snack evenly among themselves.” Tiffany

“My daughter did hers over the summer without her troop. She organized a baby item drive for a local pregnancy center.”Heather 

“As a Juliette parent (also for my younger daughter), there are times when your daughter comes to you wanting to do something, but the ideas just aren’t there. So my job as a parent is to help jump start the flow and help her decide what projects she is capable of! My older daughter’s troop kinda tossed them in with little guidance, so DD and I tossed ideas based on her interest back and forth for nearly a year!.” Lynne

“I have found Cadettes love to work with technology. Is there an area of need where you could create a website which is geared towards getting information out to people? And with this need she could also find a way other than her informational site to help. Maybe she could put together a blood drive at her school and bring awareness online to how her community can help and why their help is needed. Perhaps she could start a babysitting ordeal for parents who are trying to go to school in the evening and then present information on babysitting creating positive outcomes for those who take on the task and for those in need. Just a couple ideas maybe they will spark something.” Carmen

” Our troop each did individual projects! Mine researched bats. She raised money to buy supplies and built bat houses which she (with approval) hung in a local park. She also helped a Daisy troop earn a journey focusing on bats! Two others ran book drives and shelf drives, separately then donated them to women shelters! One worked to change a law affecting our community ! Another is aiming to provide toys and supplies for an animal shelter and build a cat house for this shelter ‘s new cat rescue! Have her find something she lives and try to embellish from there! We’re trying to brainstorm gold ideas now!!” Lynne

” is there confusing in “needing a troop” because of the team part of the application (which I am assuming is same everywhere?) My understanding is that is not necessarily girl scouts, it’s the people she will do her project with. Silver is to show leadership, so who will she lead? (For example, if her project was to make birdhouses, maybe some other kids in her class would stay afterschool to help hammer them together. They are on her “team”. Or adults who part of it {not her advisor}. Maybe she had to talk to a carpenter to learn how to use tools, he is part of her team, too. Team members don’t have to be GS.)” Michelle

” My daughter is a Cadette Juliette working on her Silver Award. I agree it needs to be something they are interested in to keep them working on it. Everyone keeps telling her the project she wanted to do (a historical marker) would make a better Gold Award. That only makes her more determined to do it. In her process she has formed a team of local community advisors from the libraries and colleges, who are helping her collect her documentation. The hardest part of hers is the fundraising but she’s learning she has to work for the money if she really wants it to happen.” Judy

“Many girls do their Silver Awards alone…you don’t need a troop (and they *have* to do Gold alone). She should focus on something that she loves or a cause she feels strongly about, then develop something around that. My middle daughter loves to draw, so she’s thinking of making artwork or coloring books for a specific children’s program. My older daughter was passionate about LGBT issues, so she wrote an anti-bullying curriculum and started a Gay Straight Alliance in the high school. Both projects done individually, not with their troop. It really should be up to your daughter to find her passion, and then you can help her brainstorm & flesh out a project.” Leigh

“One of my girls is making crochet hats for a cancer ward and collecting items to donate for others to do the same to make it sustainable” Shannon

“My daughter worked with our local Preservation society on creating a museum scavenger hunt. In hopes to get kids interested in History. Was a big hit. One kindergartener even brought it to school for show and tell. Two girls in her troop collected winter coats and set up a shopping day for the homeless at a soup kitchen. Long day but very rewarding. Another girl taught the seniors how to make jewelry. She set up classes at the senior center. You also may want to google silver award. Could give you ideas.” Robin

“My daughter and I brainstormed for a long time and nothing seemed to excite her until I came across pillowcase dresses. We have a friend who had just come back from a missions trip to an orphanage in Haiti and it all just clicked for her. Her goal is to make 75 pillow case dresses for the girls helped by this orphanage. She has held one sewing day so far (she invited friends, and their moms, to help her cut and iron and sew) and plans to have one more. Every girl gets instructions on how to make the dresses and different organizations that accept the dresses to send all over the world.” Kelly

“Maybe find another girl working in a different troop or even team up with some girls from the local high school, and get them all involved in the project? Does your daughter have friends who wouldn’t mind teaming up with her? Maybe create honorary awards such as candy bouquets and movie passes, to get them motivated to help her?” Beckie

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Check out Youth Squad for hundreds of community service ideas.

From Research to Power Tools

After visiting the center, the girls realized that injured squirrels and groundhogs needed safe places to recover. But they didn’t just buy some kits; they did the hard work themselves:

The Build: With a little help from a dedicated Girl Scout Dad, the girls mastered the table saw, jig saw, drill, sander, and air nail gun. There was a lot of “measure twice, cut once” happening in that workshop!

The Planning: They sat down, wrote up their proposal, and divvied up responsibilities like pros.

The Science: They researched animal-safe wood and sealers (since they knew their furry friends would definitely try to chew on their new homes!).

Stocking the Shelves

The project wasn’t just about construction. The girls also organized a supply drive at their school, collecting mountains of blankets, newspapers, cleaning supplies, and food to keep the center running smoothly.

Moving Day!

The best part? Installation day. The girls built four squirrel houses and two groundhog houses. They actually got to go inside the enclosures to mount the squirrel houses up high and tuck the groundhog houses into the dirt, filling them with cozy pine needles for nesting.

Looking Toward the “Trifecta”

These scouts come from two different schools, but after five years together, they are sisters. While we’re celebrating this Silver milestone at the All That Glitters Ceremony this April, the girls are already dreaming big.

They are officially eyeing their Gold Award projects with the goal of earning the prestigious Trifecta Award (earning Bronze, Silver, and Gold). Watching them grow from little Daisies into confident leaders who can handle a power saw and a budget has been the highlight of my 12 years as a leader!

Want to support your local shelter?

If your troop is looking to help animals, check out these fun patches to get them started:

• Animal Shelter Volunteer Service Patch
• Animal Hospital Tour Patch
• Animal Tracks Fun Patch

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My name is Trisha and I am the leader of Troop 797. I was a Girl Scout from 1st through 8th grade.  During many of my 12 years as a leader/ co-leader I was a volunteer for 2 troops. Currently, I am the Service Unit Manager and Treasurer of SU 105. I have had these girls since Daisy level and have retained 3 of the 4 this year. The 3 remaining scouts want to receive their Gold Award and 2 will receive the Trifecta Award once completed.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Recognizing that the journey to the Gold Award begins with the Bronze and Silver Awards, Sheryl identified a gap in resources for younger Girl Scouts. In response, she created a middle-grade book series aimed at sharing inspiring stories of leadership, courage, and community change. These stories serve as a source of motivation for the youngest members, encouraging them to dream big and take action.

There are seven books in the series, themed by the work these Gold Award Girl Scouts did – Earth Guardians, STEM, Creative Voice, Health, Inclusion, Advocacy, Community Connector. Each book shares 11 stories and offers guidance on how your Girl Scout can use the same processes for their projects.