GSHPA Mission Moments: Serving Their Communities

Troops 30470, 34100, and 34101 collected school supplies in the local community for children in need. The girls contacted local businesses and churches seeking donations of school supplies and book bags and made donation boxes to place in various locations. They were also featured on the local news letting the public know they were seeking donations to assist the Valor Clinic’s Stand Down Event with back-to-school supplies. The troops came together to assemble approximately 260 backpacks filled with school supplies to give to children in need in Carbon County. Most of the backpacks were distributed at the Stand Down event and the remaining were distributed to local school children in need. 

Three years ago, Margaretta, a GSHPA troop leader for Troop 50863 was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia. Ever since, Girls Scouts and volunteers from Service Unit 508 in Lackawanna County have rallied behind Margaretta to support her fight against cancer and assist with the volunteer-run Light the Night Walk. They helped set up the event; ran registration, shirt, and lantern tables; and provided activities for kids to participate in during the pre-event. This year, Troop Leader Megan Fenwick even created a beautiful Monarch butterfly SWAP that was passed out to those in attendance. They ended the evening walking with Margaretta to show their support against the battle she is fighting.

Girl Scout Troops 40164 and 40088 joined STEP AmeriCorps, The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Carpenter's Farm, and other Clinton County area volunteers to participate in the Gleaning for Good service project in November. Gleaning is the gathering of leftover produce after the harvest. Carpenter's Pumpkin Farm generously gives their leftover produce to benefit the community. Together, volunteers gleaned 4,487 pounds of produce that will go directly to community members. The squash that was gleaned will be taken back to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and be distributed to the food bank's partner agencies, who, in turn, will distribute to families in need, along with easy and fun nutritious recipes on how to prepare each kind of squash.