Girl Scouts receive lessons in nature, helping others
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Meredith Vasquez (left), the executive director of Goodwill Industries, collects a bag full of donated clothes with her daughter Valerie Rose Vasquez (center) from Girl Scout Leeanne Newberry. The Girl Scouts donated items to the Martinez store's collection.
Photos by Quandra Collins
The sound of wild bird calls could be heard loud and clear Nov. 6 at Camp Tanglewood.
"Each group is practicing their bird call," said Cheri Kibler, a program and property director for the Girl Scouts. "We have four groups - the Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Cardinals and Great Horned Owls."
About 113 Girl Scouts convened at Camp Tanglewood, off Columbia Road, to attend a program called Feathered Friends. The event, which was in collaboration with the Augusta-Aiken Audubon Society and Spirit Creek Educational Forest, featured an in-depth presentation on bird beaks and diets, bird arts and crafts, a bird nature hike and a birdhouse construction class.
Kibler, who organized the inaugural event, said the attraction was well deserved.
"I thought it would be fun for the girls to come out and enjoy nature," she said. "This is an education experience for the girls to be out in nature and learn about wild life habitat."
Camp ranger Charles Hiers, (left) helps Morgan Taylor, a Brownie Troop 28 member, build a birdhouse at Camp Tanglewood.
Photo by Quandra Collins
Julissa Harvey, 6, said she was glad she attended the event.
"I learned a lot about animal life," said Harvey, a Brownie and member of Troop 226. "I (even got the chance) to put up a birdhouse. Yeah!"
At another Girl Scout event Nov. 6, several cars filled the driveway at the Martinez Goodwill Industries store on Washington Road. Girls Scouts were taking donations to help Goodwill.
"A lot of people think of Girl Scouts as cookie sellers, but they're more than that" said Meredith Vasquez, the executive director of Goodwill Industries, adding that the troops also told friends and family about donating their cars to Goodwill as part of a new program the organization has adopted.
As part of their monthly service project, more than 50 troops dropped off door hangers to remind their neighbors about the annual collection.
In addition to that, Vasquez said, about 359 public donors gave miscellaneous items such as toys, clothes and household goods at the Martinez store. The donations, Vasquez said, help the unemployed receive job training and placement service.
With every dollar earned, Vasquez said, 87 cents go toward helping unemployed people find jobs.
Jenifer Hammonds, a Brownie Troop 12 member, hammers a nail into a birdhouse at Camp Tanglewood.
Photo by Quandra Collins
Meagan Anderson, 5, said she knew exactly what she wanted to donate.
"I had clothing that didn't fit me, so I gave it away," said Anderson, a member of Troop 84.
Natalie Walters, 9, said she donated her toys and clothes for a different reason.
"I wanted to give to the people that don't have much," said Walters, a member of Troop 312. "I wanted to give (my things away) so the (less fortunate) would have a chance to get stuff for Christmas."