Congratulations to Troop 53406 from Harper’s Ferry service unit for earning their Bronze Award!
The project received attention from several local news sources, including the Commerce City Sentinel Express, who gave the girls this glowing review (click on the photo above for the direct link):
“Junior Girl Scouts in Troop 53406 spent most of Saturday morning installing the recycling bins with Park Manager Michelle Seubert and were able to earn their bronze award, the highest award a junior girl scout is able to achieve.
Troop Leader Sondra Bourgeois said the troop selected the project because it would make a really big difference in the community. She said the girls did all of the research for the project, contacted the Evergreen Audubon Society about their recycling program, contacted Seubert and made the calls to get the materials donated.
“You hope this is an idea that maybe other troops will catch onto — whether it be Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts — and maybe they’ll take them to other reservoirs here in this area that I know have the same issue with a lot of the fishing line that’s been discarded,” Bourgeois said.
Leader Reina Sterling said the girls were able to connect with the project because they’ve done a “water journey” at Barr Lake in the past where they learned a lot about the lake, the water and how it affects the community. She said the troop, which is based out of Turnberry Elementary School, was able to make a personal connection because the water that’s used in their homes comes from Barr Lake.
Junior Abby Taugner said on a previous visit to Barr Lake she saw a duck with fishing line tangled around its feet and hanging out of its mouth.
Junior Lydia Jimmerson said she’s happy to earn the bronze award and that she likes the project because wildlife won’t get tangled up anymore. Junior Jerray Sterling also liked the project for that reason.
“I liked that we were helping the community so no more animals and birds and ducks and stuff like that would die because of the fishing line,” Sterling said.
Seubert said now that people have a place to put their fishing line they’ll be less likely to leave it on the ground. She said often times they’ll find a goose or duck with fishing line wrapped around their legs or their wings which could injure them forever and sometimes even kill them.
“A lot of times we’ll go out and there’s fishing line everywhere and its a danger to wildlife as well as to people,” she said. “(This project is) going to help make the area look nice and then also protect the wildlife.”
Another article can be found at: http://www.c3gov.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/210
We at GSCO want to give an extra special THANK YOU to leaders Sandra Bourgeouis and Reina Sterling for the extended hard work and support that made this huge project a reality. And to the girls- YOU ROCK! Thank you for making such a big difference in your community. We are very proud of your accomplishments!
As always, please let us know if your troop has a special story to share!