Helena troop reaches out to city: Scouts make quilt of community members likenesses

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 3, 2007

SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 196 recently earned their Bronze award, the highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn.

The achievement is no small feat, since to earn the award each troop must earn two service project related badges and receive one of the four Girl Scout signs.

They earned the sign of the rainbow, which shows that the world is made of a rainbow of people. They also had to earn the Junior Aide Award which includes teaching younger Girl Scouts.

They also had to choose a community service project and spend at least 15 hours completing it.

Troop No. 196 decided to make a community quilt, with each square representing a certain person or group of people in the community.

The people representated on the completed project were Mayor Sonny Penhale; Alice Lobell, art teacher and friend; Bo Bic;, Vonnetta Flowers; Zodie McCall, friend of Helena; Helena Oasis Officer Jan McDuff; Helena Elementary School teachers and principal Mary Cooper; Helena Intermediate School teachers and principal Wayne Williams; Helena&8217;s Park and Recreation Board; Helena&8217;s Sanitation Department; Helena Fire Department; Helena&8217;s Military Heroes; Helena Police Department; Helena Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and leaders; Lily Cove Girl Scouts and leaders; and Helena&8217;s library and staff and library director Victoria Ashford.

The quilt was presented to Mayor Sonny Penhale at the Nov. 20 city council meeting. After the presentation, Mayor Penhale and councilman Jerry Pate presented the girls with a Helena city pin for their uniforms.

The quilt will be displayed at Helena City Hall, along with a plaque and a picture of the scout troop.