Local Girl Scouts Keep It Clean in FishHawk

By Mags Oldman

Starting off the new year, Girl Scouts from the Fossil Valley Community took to the trails of FishHawk Ranch on Saturday, Jan. 7, to Walk the Trails To Save The Planet. 

In a combined effort to literally create a clean slate for all those who enjoy the trail system in FishHawk Ranch, 13 troops of various grade levels participated, including Daisies (K through first grade), Brownies second and third grade), Juniors (fourth and fifth grade) and Cadettes (sixth through eighth grade). 

All told, the girls hauled in just over 275 pounds of trash from throughout portions of FishHawk Ranch. Some of the larger finds included a bicycle, a metal snack table and a full-size window screen. The Scouts were fearless and diligent in their sweep, outfitted with gloves and pickers, determined to make their world a better place. 

The event was hosted by Cadette Troop 882 as an extension of its achievements last year. As Juniors, seven of the 10 girls of that troop received their Bronze Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout Junior can achieve. To do so, then-Junior Troop 882 conducted a solo effort to clean up the trail system after working through the various stages of project development and management with a minimum of 20 hours dedicated to the project. 

A key component of the upper-level awards is that they are sustainable.  Hence, the Walk the Trails event was created with the intent of being an annual Girl Scout communitywide event. As girls progress through Scouting, they can go on to earn their progressively more complex Silver and Gold Awards by age level. 

At the conclusion of the cleanup, Troop 882 hosted a gathering at Ibis Park, where troops weighed in their haul, added their troop number to a chalk ground mural, and celebrated with snacks provided by the Cadettes.

A great time was had by all, and the girls left the event feeling quite successful, knowing they did their part to make the world a better place.  When asked how the troop felt about the turnout, Troop Leader Wendy Carnahan, on behalf of the troop, replied, “They were pleased with the turnout of troops and loved seeing all the younger Girl Scouts eager to make FishHawk trails just a little cleaner.”  She added, “Helping girls to gain skills in leadership is my personal reward.”

The Fossil Valley Community of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida is comprised of almost 350 girls attending Bevis, FishHawk Creek, Pinecrest and Stowers Elementary schools, Randall and Barrington middle schools and Newsome High School.

As of 2012, Girl Scouts has been building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place for 100 years. For more information on Girl Scouts in the area, visit www.gswcf.org.