Troop Makes a Difference Through Community Service
Girl Scouts are out in their neighborhoods, making a difference.
Because part of the Girl Scout Promise is to make the world a better place, troops across Washington find all kinds of ways to give back to their local communities, whether it be through making personal hygiene kits for the homeless or cleaning up beaches.
One Junior troop from Brown’s Point decided to clean up a lighthouse. More specifically, they wanted to rid the Brown’s Point Lighthouse of graffiti, which had seriously impacted the historical landmark’s appearance.
Because the lighthouse is federal property, getting permission to tackle such a big job was no easy feat. Thankfully, troop leader Cheryl Armstrong was persistent in her quest to reach the U.S. Coastguard, as they are responsible for the lighthouse. After weeks of phone calls and emails, she got the permission…and her girls got the paint!
“My girls broke into three teams,” says Armstrong. “Two teams went into the Tacoma area with local law enforcement, community organizations and residents, and covered up graffiti across the city. The third team met with the Coast Guard and worked on the lighthouse.”
The graffiti removal was part of an annual event called Operation Graffiti Cover-Up, which is organized by Safe Streets, a non-profit that works with the city of Tacoma, Pierce County, Tacoma Public Schools and United Way to empower individuals, families and organizations to create safe neighborhoods. Armstrong’s girls were thrilled to be a part of such a large effort.
“It meant a lot to me to be able to paint the lighthouse,” admits Tori, 10. “It’s such a nice place, so close to home, and it’s somewhere I can go on a nice day. It makes it even more special now, because when I go there, I can say I was able to help paint it!”
This isn’t the first time these Junior Girl Scouts have seen their efforts pay off. The troop has had a lot of experience bettering their community. In fact, the focus of their Bronze Award is beautifying their community.
In addition to removing graffiti, the girls have participated in National Trails Day, where they joined with other community volunteers to pick up trash at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. They also put in a garden around the history center in front of Brown’s Point Lighthouse, and will each take turns maintaining it throughout the summer and fall.
“I learned that community service can be fun,” says a proud Christine, 10.
Even better, Marissa, 10, realized that the experience of caring for the community is rewarding.
All this is proof that helping others makes a difference, not only in the community, but also in the life of each individual doing the work.
Thanks to all the Girl Scouts and volunteers who help make Washington – and our world – a better place to live!
Interested in finding a similar community service project in Pierce County?
Consider working with Safe Streets!