This spring, a group of 5 animal-loving Girl Scouts embarked on an ambitious mission: to earn the prestigious Bronze Award through a community service project. This highest award in Girl Scouting requires participants to identify the root cause of an issue and create a project that is sustainable and measurable, while completing a minimum of 20 hours of work.
During the brainstorming phase, the girls—students from Seven Hills Middle School and Deer Creek Elementary—discussed issues that mattered most to them. One theme kept coming up: animals.
“I want to help animals in our community because they are the most precious beings ever,” shared one scout.
Troop co-leader Sarah Holyhead, senior management analyst in the County Executive Office, reached out to the Nevada County Animal Shelter to determine which tasks might be needed. Landscaping beautification rose to the top of the list, with plans to add color and life to an overgrown, lackluster entrance area.
“We conducted a site visit to get ideas and came up with some specific areas the girls could focus on,” said Holyhead. “Once the shelter supervisor had reviewed and approved the plan, we agreed on a timeline for carrying out the work.”
The girls established a $400 project budget using funds they had earned over the past few years from the Orange Juliette booth at the Nevada County Fair, fall product sales, and cookie sales. They created shopping lists, purchased supplies from B&C, and even spent one troop meeting painting rocks with heartfelt messages to place throughout the landscaping.
“Holy cow — what a difference. It looks amazing,” said Lorie Hennessey, administrative services officer for the shelter. “The personalized rocks with art and messages are the best. I loved looking at all of them.”
The rest of their time was spent on-site at the shelter executing the project, with occasional time to love on the shelter animals. Their efforts were supported by dedicated parents, including one who donated a trailer full of shredded cedar bark to complete the landscaping.
The Girl Scouts successfully earned their Bronze Award after taking a project from concept to completion, choosing a cause that reflected their values and seeing it through with determination and teamwork.
Co-creating with the scouts gave Holyhead a sense of accomplishment, too.
“They can have a positive impact on the world around them, and we’re giving them the tools and the experiences to really know that for themselves. I’m grateful to Nevada County for playing a key role in that lesson.”
One Scout reflects, “I think it’s important for a community to have an animal shelter because animals are people, too. They need a home just like you and me.”