Tag Archives: Colorado Springs

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Buddy Benches make for a friendly Bronze Award

May 13, 2015 admin

Submitted by Natalie Moore

Colorado Springs

Pikes Peak

I chose the Buddy Bench project for my Bronze Award because I know how hard it can be for some people to make friends.

The Buddy Bench is a brightly colored bench anyone can sit on if they feel like they could use a buddy. Maybe their friends are absent, they’re new to the school or they don’t want to play what their other friends are playing that day. Sitting on the bench lets other kids know that you could use a pal and they can go over to ask that person if they’d like to join in what they’re doing.

I was the only junior in my troop who completed my journey so I did most of this project alone. A few girls from my troop helped me with a bake sale/yard sale fundraiser and almost my whole troop came to show support at the dedication at my school.

The project started in April when I talked to my principal to ask for permission to do the Buddy Bench. He thought it was a terrific idea and he let me put a donation can with a poster outside his office for kids and teachers who wanted to help. Friends and neighbors donated items and baked goods so I could have a fundraiser yard sale/bake sale in my neighborhood. I sat with my mom & dad to research the best materials for an outdoor bench that I could afford. They helped me purchase benches online and took me to the stores I had to go to for paint and other supplies. My idea was to put in one bench but I was able to raise enough money to buy two!

Check out a video of the Buddy Bench dedication!

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dZeQXsV274&feature=youtu.be-A]

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Girl Scout Troop 40969 Juniors shoot to Bronze

May 12, 2015 admin

Submitted by Rebecca Schmidt

Colorado Springs

Pikes Peak

Girl Scout Troop 40969 Juniors worked extremely hard this year. The entire group decided to focus on two problems in the community.

The first is that they are seeing our communities getting taken over by trash and litter. They are concerned about animals and environment and decided to do something about it. They have created a program where they are asking everyone to go out one day a month and fill a garbage bag full of trash. Not just at your house, but in your neighborhood or community. To kick this off the girls have selected a day every month to cleanup a different area that has been recommended but a member of the troop. This was an incredible experience because as they were cleaning up the Lorson Ranch Community, they came upon a TV someone had thrown along the road and it took almost the entire group to clean it up a scout said.

The second problem they took on was finding a way to help the senior citizens of our communities. They partnered with the Sunny Vista Senior Center and have started an Adopt-A-Grandparent Program. The Scouts have done amazing so far. They have scheduled a monthly visit with some wonderful ladies and gentlemen. The Scouts cooked cookies, sang and played Bingo and this is only the beginning.

These programs have been pushed to the other groups in the troop and we are continuing to work with Community Partners, other troops and organizations to get the work out and get more involved.

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Girl Scouts announces 2015 Pikes Peak Women of Distinction

May 1, 2015 admin

Girl Scouts of Colorado honors six extraordinary women as 2015 Women of Distinction:

Kathy Boe, CEO, Boecore, Inc.
Brigadier General Dana M. Capozzella, ARNG, Retired, Compliance Officer/Partner, Cascade Investment Group
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, Chief of Organizational Excellence, United States Olympic Committee
Karla Grazier, CEO and President, Discover Goodwill of Southern & Western Colorado
C. Phoebe Lostroh, PhD, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Director of Feminist and Gender Studies, Colorado College
Mia Ramirez, MPH, Senior Community Health Specialist, Kaiser Permanente

This year’s six honorees were selected by a committee of their peers led by Selection Chair Lynne Telford, President and CEO of Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado and Woman of Distinction 2014, and chosen based on their contributions to the community, both professionally and personally. They are shining examples of corporate, civic and philanthropic leadership and serve as role models for our female leaders of tomorrow.

The Women of Distinction program began in the area in 2000, though 56 area women were named Women of Distinction in 1994 during Girl Scouts’ 75 Anniversary. Including this year’s honorees, Girl Scouts of Colorado has recognized 119 area women with this honor. The Women of Distinction program brings together a group of women dedicated to raising funds to support Girl Scout leadership programs. More than $325,000 has been raised in 12 years.

Later this year, Girl Scouts of Colorado will publicly honor these inductees on September 10 at the 2015 Thin Mint Dinner in Colorado Springs at the Antlers Hilton. Alicia McConnell, Director of Training Sites and Community Partnerships at the United States Olympic Committee and Woman of Distinction 2007, is the event chair.

For more information on the Sept. 10 event, including how you can help, please contact Karen Burghart at 719-304-8322 or karen.burghart@gscolorado.org. You can also visit the Girl Scouts of Colorado website for more information or to purchase tickets and/or sponsorships at girlscoutsofcolorado.org/women-of-distinction-pikes-peak.

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Girl Scout educates public on animal overpopulation

April 30, 2015 admin

Submitted by Sage Stenhaug

Colorado Springs

I have been a Humane Society volunteer for over a year. As I saw all of the homeless animals coming through the shelter, it was obvious that many of them would not be adopted. There are over 23,000 animals through the shelter doors each year. Fewer than half will find forever homes. My project involved educating the public on our responsibility to spay and neuter pets to prevent accidental litters. I also collected and sold aluminum to purchase spay and neuter certificates that would be donated to low income pet owners that would not be able to spay or neuter if they did not have financial assistance. By spaying or neutering just 2 cats or dogs, we can keep thousands of other animals out of the shelter. Two cats and their offspring can reproduce as many as 420,000 cats in just 7 years, and dogs would result in 67,000 in just 6 years. Fewer unwanted animals is better for the public responsibility of taxation to fund the Humane Society, stray animal suffering, and potential euthanization. I will continue to sell cans to fund spay and neutering certificates. It has been a huge learning experience. Thanks to all that assisted me in this endeavor!

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Juniors encourage students to be wise recyclers for Bronze

April 29, 2015 admin

Submitted by Janet Baratti

Colorado Springs

Pikes Peak

Junior Troop 4117 for their Bronze Award encouraged students at Prairie Hills Elementary to be Wise Recyclers as they put on a skit at their Pride Assembly. They encouraged students to bring in empty, clean aluminum to be collected and brought to Wise Recycle in Colorado Springs. The money raised by turning in the aluminum will be donated to their local Ronald McDonald House and MS Society of Colorado.

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Powder Puff Derby earns girls Silver Award

April 28, 2015 admin

Submitted by Janet Baratti

Colorado Springs

Pikes Peak

Seventh grade Cadette Girl Scouts from Colorado Springs, Abigail Heiser, Cheyenne Baratti, and Erin Ruane organized and executed a girls only Powder Puff Derby, based on the Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby. To prove that girls can do anything that boys can do, the girls created a family-oriented event with Fathers and Daughters working together. Like with Girl Scouts, the event built confidence and also building skill and gave the participants a feeling of personal achievement and taught good sportsmanship.

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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What started as a community project, taught them about themselves too

April 23, 2015 admin

Submitted by Michelle Buchanan

Colorado Springs

Pikes Peak

Junior Girl Scout Troop 40894 set out at the beginning of the year uncertain which goals to pursue this year. After a tour of the Ronald McDonald House of Southern Colorado, it became obvious the troop had a desire to help other young children. This year, the girls set out to help the House and each girl made 2 quilts (1 boy, 1 girl), and enlisted the help of parents and other family members.

In addition, they used cookie sales to generate funds for the quilt fabric and supplies, and dubbed the RMH their Hometown Hero beneficiary this year (collecting 55 boxes of donated cookies). They also learned how saving pop tops directly helps to fund the House, and donated ~2.5 pounds of pop tops. They also made gingerbread houses at Christmas and donated them to the House to help the House that Love Built feel more like home during the holidays. The girls also applied their Journey and other badges they earned throughout the year as they studied and prepared for this project. The troop donated over $650 in goods to the Ronald McDonald House this year.

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.

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Daisies deliver cookies to soldiers at Fort Carson

March 30, 2015 admin

Daisy Girl Scouts in Troop 43483 in Colorado Springs delivered more than 120 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to the 110th MP Company at Fort Carson. The company, which is the troop’s Hometown Hero, is deploying in a few weeks.

The girls delivered 121 packages of Girl Scout Cookies on Tuesday, March 24, 2015. One of the soldiers, SSG Ryan Davis, is the father of one of the girls in the troop. Several of the girls also have parents actively serving in the military, so supporting the company, which is made up of about 200 soldiers, was a natural choice for the girls.

The Hometown Heroes program offers Girl Scouts the chance to honor non-profit organizations, food banks, military and uniformed personnel, who are so important to the community, during the cookie sale. Through this program, customers can buy a package of cookies to donate to Girl Scouts’ heroes – a perfect solution for those who pass on the tempting treats! Girls learn about the invaluable work of their recipients by taking tours, learning about careers in public service and helping with service projects. The 2015 goal for the Hometown Heroes/Gift of Caring program in Colorado is 200,000 packages. Last year’s statewide program netted 109,745 packages for hundreds of organizations.

There are 10 Girl Scouts in Daisy Troop 43483. However, only eight could be there on the delivery day. For five of the girls, this was their second year selling Girl Scout Cookies. For the other five, this was their first year selling. The troop sold 2,610 boxes of cookies this year. Last year, they sold 1,241 boxes, so they more than doubled sales this year! Most importantly, the girls have formed great friendships this year and working at cookie booths together helped strengthen those bonds.

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Colorado Author S.L. Rottman shares with Troop 4262

March 16, 2015 admin

Submitted by Amy Keeler

Colorado Springs

Pikes Peak

S.L. Rottman, who is well-known for her young adult novels, met with Girl Scout Troop 4262 to share her knowledge about writing novels. In the end, each girl took home a signed book to read and some inspiration from an amazing lady.

This story was submitted using the Share Your Stories form. You can share your Girl Scout moments too.