Silver Award Project Aids Humane Shelter

Juliana Fieldsa lives in Pequea Valley School District, and Madeleine Cousin lives in Lampeter-Strasburg. Although the girls attend different schools, they have a lot in common. Both are members of Girl Scout Troop 71264, which meets at Lampeter United Methodist Church. Both have mothers who are troop leaders, and, probably most importantly, both really like cats.

Their shared appreciation for felines figured heavily in the friends - both rising eighth-graders who are at Cadette level, which is sixth through eighth grades in Scouting - choosing to work together on a project that aids cats. The pair chose to work with the Humane Pennsylvania Betsy & Ted Lewin Adoption Center for Cats and Critters, 2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster. The girls began working on the project, which provides cat kits for new owners, including a feeding bowl, crocheted toy, sewn toy, treats, and nail clippers, in early July. They are also creating tied blanket cat beds made from plush cat-themed materials for the animals while they live at the shelter.

The Silver Award is the highest award available to Cadette Girl Scouts. "You have to do a Journey first, which involves three badges," noted Juliana. Groups of up to three girls can work together toward earning their Silver Awards.

"You get to go with a topic you like a lot or feel inclined to work on," explained Madeleine, who noted the girls have been friends for a while. "We went through a list of topics, and we found we both love shelters, and we both love cats," Madeleine stated. "(We thought) 'So why don't we do a project involving the local shelter?'"

Juliana explained that after coming up with the idea for the kits, the girls talked to the Humane League about the project. "They liked it," she reported.

Madeleine said that planning and working on the project has been a good way to use their spare time this summer. "We like to make toys, so we thought, 'Why not make a whole care kit with treats and stuff for new owners?'"

The girls began working on the project with a goal of making 20 kits, but they now have more than 30, and they are hoping to complete at least 40 by the end of August. Kits can be sponsored for a nominal fee, and readers who are interested in helping may email gshpatroop71264@gmail.com. The girls may purchase supplies for the shelter with any additional funds that are left when the kits are completed.

The troop is located in Hans Herr Service Unit 716, which is part of the Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA Council. Christy Fieldsa and Katrina Cousin lead the troop. Christy explained that once the project is complete, the girls will finish online paperwork, which will be submitted to the council. "Turnaround for approval takes about a week," she said.

Both girls have enjoyed working on the project. Madeleine stated that her favorite part has been helping the cats. Juliana agreed, adding that visiting the cats and making sure they have plenty of toys were among the best parts.

Overall, Scouting has been a fun and enriching experience for Madeleine and Juliana. "I have been enjoying Scouts for a while," noted Madeleine, who has been taking part in the Girl Scout program since kindergarten. "I like all the projects we do and the badges we earn." Juliana added that the program has taught her about a number of different areas, and Madeleine echoed her thoughts. "We have learned about subjects from money management to archery," she said, noting that some topics were helpful in completing the Silver Award project, and others were important for completely different reasons. Being able to choose to work with cats for this project obviously topped the list for both girls. "We are super cat lovers," Madeleine pointed out. "We want to see them all get adopted."