by Sarah DeMaranville
Geneseo Current
GENESEO, IL — Two local Girl Scouts have earned one of the organization's highest honors for their efforts to improve a community gathering place used by youth organizations.
Hattie and Lucia, members of Girl Scout Troop 2448, earned their Girl Scout Silver Awards after completing a renovation project at Cole Memorial Cabin. The girls, who were Cadette Girl Scouts when they worked on the project and have since advanced to Senior Girl Scouts, focused their efforts on improving the cabin and helping preserve it for future generations of young people.
The project began when the girls learned that maintenance and improvements at Cole Memorial Cabin depend on donations and volunteer labor. Recognizing the importance of the property to local youth organizations, they decided to take on several projects to improve the facility.
Their work included extensive cleaning, repainting walls, tables and stairs, assembling donated carts, refurbishing donated end tables and completing landscaping improvements around the entrance sign.
Coordinating the work around their busy schedules proved to be one of the project's biggest challenges. Along the way, the girls developed problem-solving skills, learned to manage their time and gained experience using equipment to complete various improvements.
Cole Memorial Cabin has a history of supporting youth activities in the area. According to information provided by Troop 2448, William Cole and his wife donated the cabin and surrounding land in the early 1900s. The Cole Cabin Trust was established in 1991 to manage the property and coordinate its use.
The property is available to a variety of youth organizations, including 4-H clubs, church youth groups, Boy Scout troops and Girl Scout troops. Its continued upkeep relies on donations and the efforts of volunteers.
The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award available to Girl Scout Cadettes, who are typically in sixth through eighth grades. The award recognizes girls who demonstrate leadership by identifying a community need, developing a plan and completing a project designed to make a lasting difference.
Silver Award projects generally require each participating Girl Scout to devote at least 50 hours to planning and carrying out the work. Girls may complete projects individually or in small teams, often working with community members and organizations to address an identified need.
Before beginning a Silver Award project, Girl Scouts must complete qualifying prerequisites. According to troop representative Dawn Deaner, both Hattie and Lucia had previously earned their Bronze Awards and completed a Girl Scout Journey before undertaking the cabin renovation.
The Silver Award emphasizes leadership, planning, teamwork and community involvement, with particular attention to projects that can continue benefiting others after the initial work is completed.
For Hattie and Lucia, the goal was to help maintain Cole Memorial Cabin so it could continue serving as a welcoming place for youth organizations to gather and enjoy outdoor activities.
Their efforts contribute to the ongoing volunteer work that helps preserve the property for future generations.