Trio from Troop #70092 appear at Algonac council meeting
By Barb Pert Templeton
Three members of Girl Scout Troop #70092 appeared at a recent Algonac City Council meeting to present some bird houses they made for a project that allowed them to earn The Girl Scout Silver Award.
Cadets Ava Thomas, Madelyn Thomas and Addison Williams spoke to the city council at it’s Nov. 4 meeting, addressing them with a brief presentation at the start of the meeting. They were accompanied to the meeting by their Leader Ann Guldemond.
As they took turns at the podium the girls described the project noting that they decided to build the birdhouses to create safe places for birds in local parks. A decision was made to create three bird houses for each local park and the girls sought funding from the local Women’s Life Chapter and got a $100 donation. They also sought a grant from the Algonac-Clay Community Foundation and got funding there as well.
The trio then built their first birdhouse together and after that worked alongside Cub Scout Pack 222 to build the rest of the birdhouses, a total of nine when they were finished. Both the girl and boy scout troop numbers- #70092 and #222 were engraved on each birdhouse.
Members of Girl Scout Troop #70092 gave a brief presentation to the Algonac City Council before presenting three birdhouses to the city for the Lions Park.
Mayor Rocky Gillis asked the girls where they wanted the birdhouses placed and they said at the Lions Park.
“Thank-you ladies so very much, excellent job,” Gillis added.
In a memo included in the council meeting packet City Manager Denice Gerstenberg provided some additional details about the scout’s project.
The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award a scout can earn and it shows leadership, organization, determination and dedication to improving the community.
As required the girls had to complete eight tasks over a minimum of 50 hours. The tasks included planning a project that would benefit someone or something and reaching another group to complete it. For that portion of the project, Cub Scout Pack #222 assisted with building the bird houses.
In total, nine bird houses were built. The troop donated three bird houses to Ira Township, three to Clay Township and three to Algonac.
“This is an extraordinary group of girls who used their knowledge and skills to provide a beautiful contribution to nature and for all to enjoy,” Gerstenberg stated. “We are so thankful for this and everything the Girls Scouts do that make our community a better place to live.”
During council comments Councilman Ed Carter said looking at the birdhouses he felt they were amazing just the construction and the way they were built and he thanked the girls.
“I want to make a special thanks to the young ladies who made the bird houses the professionalism, them speaking in turn and their demeanor is exactly what we want for people in this community and people growing up here,” Councilman Michael Bembas said.
Councilwoman Cathy Harris congratulated the Girl Scouts on their good job on the birdhouses as did Councilwoman Wendy Meldrum.
“I want to thank the girl scouts for their dedication to the community,” Councilman Jake Skarbek added.
Gillis said he also wanted to thank the scouts.
“We have an amazing group of young people in this town, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts do so many amazing things and it’s amazing what they offer,” the mayor added.
