Medford Girl Scouts Complete “Take Action” Project by Releasing Ladybugs to Support Food Pantry Garden
The girls from Troop 72096, who just completed first grade, gathered together on Saturday, July 16, with several master gardeners at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford to conclude their Daisy year with a Take Action project: the release of almost 20 ladybugs. These small insects are formidable fighters and eat aphids, tiny bugs that afflict vegetable gardens. Controlling aphids is especially important because the food grown at the church is donated directly to the Community Cupboard food pantry. Fewer aphids will equal healthier plants, which will mean more food for the 7090 families that rely on the pantry each week.
The Daisy Girl Scouts spent the past few months learning about gardens. They planted and tended snow peas and beets at Grace Episcopal Church in Medford, which were all donated to the food pantry. Through this work, the girls learned about what gardens need to stay healthy.
They became interested in raising ladybugs and built small habitats to allow each girl to raise a few insects. Having tended them carefully through their larva and pupa stages, the girls were thrilled to watch numerous Spotted Pink Ladybugs emerge from their cocoons. On July 16 at dusk, after carefully watering the plants and inspecting for evidence of aphids, the girls released the ladybugs into their new home. The ladybugs now inhabit the Medford Community Cupboard Food Pantry Vegetable Garden, which is a new program started this year by the food pantry with support from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford and the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association. A team of Master Gardeners “champions” the program and are on site every Thursday from 1PM to 4PM, providing education, working with volunteers, and harvesting vegetables that are distributed at the food pantry on Thursday evenings.
The girls very much enjoyed working with the Master Gardeners to contribute to this local food pantry and they eagerly look forward to the projects they may take on as Brownies this coming school year!
In the nomination, Rebecca Scott (Medford Girl Scout Organizer and Brownie Troop 68137 Co-Leader) was proud to report that “the Medford Service Unit had blown our 2015/16 recruitment goals out of the water by December 2015. We started out in August with about 210 girl and adult members in total and our goal was to welcome at a total of 342 girl and adult members for the 2015/16 year. As of February 4, 2016, we had started eight new Daisy and Brownie troops and enrolled 274 girls and 125 adults, for a total of 399 members. That is a 90% increase in members from August to December!” But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Evalyn O’Rourke is the Coordinator for Medford Girl Scouts (as well as being one of the leaders of Troop 65226) and she highlights the reason more members is important when she explains that, “Medford Girl Scouts has become a vibrant, thriving organization where girls and adults alike can feel safe to share ideas and participate. We have created an environment where girls can build courage, confidence, character, and learn to make the world a better place.” Heather Gaspar, the staff liaison for Medford from Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, sums it up by when she says, “I am excited for the future of Girl Scouting in Medford!”
In addition to the President’s Award, six of Medford Girl Scout’s adult volunteers have been selected to receive Appreciation Pins from Girl Scouts USA. These volunteers are being recognized for “actively giving exemplary service in support of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.” Medford’s 2016 Appreciation Pin award winners are:
Medford Girl Scouts 