By Evelyn Barge
AZUSA – There was plenty of time for fun and games Thursday at Slauson Community Pool, where the girls from Daisy Girl Scouts Troops 279 and 264 staved off the heat with repeated trips down a two-story water slide.
The celebration was hard-earned for the troops from Walnut Unified School District, said Mona Soza, co-leader of Troop 279, as many of the girls prepared to become full-fledged Brownies after a year of community service and learning projects.
“A lot of them have gotten really interested in helping people,” said Tina Diaz, a Diamond Bar resident and co-leader of Daisy Troop 264.
Each project marked a petal – the Daisy equivalent of a Girl Scout badge – earned and proudly ironed on to the girls’ sky-blue tunics.
Between typical summer activities like camp and trips to the water park, Diaz said, the troops also put on a toy drive in July to benefit the children at Five Acres, The Boys’ and Girls’ Aid Society of Los Angeles County, based in Altadena.
It wasn’t the first time the Daisy troops teamed up to support Five Acres. In February, some of the troop members earned their “considerate and caring” petals by washing and donating unclaimed jackets and sweaters from Collegewood Elementary’s lost and found to Five Acres.
“Girl Scouts are known for selling cookies, and they have fun,” said Rene Alpi, placement coordinator for the Girl Scouts – Spanish Trails Council. “But they’re also taught to do something for somebody or something in the community.”
Susan Silverman, director of annual giving for Five Acres, said the donation of used clothing most likely went to benefit women and children at Grace Center, Five Acres’ domestic violence support program.
“We have a lot of little people helping the kids,” Silverman said. “Hopefully, as they grow up to become viable members of the community, they’ll remember us. The Girl Scouts are very important to us.”
With the support of their big sisters in Junior Girl Scouts Troop 225, the troops also plan to start collecting toys in October for Five Acres’ holiday drive.
“These girls will be growing up together,” Ruiz said. “That’s the main thing – that they will be a good influence to each other.”
With each outreach project, Soza said, the girls learn how to take action in identifying community needs – one of the three elements of Girl Scouts leadership.
“It’s the young people – the kids helping kids – that just really warms our hearts,” Silverman said.
For more information about donating to Five Acres, visit www.5acres.org
For more information about joining a local Girl Scout troop, visit www.gsspanishtrails.org
(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2472
(c) 2008 San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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