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Girl Scout Gold Award projects highlight girls’ leadership skills, service to others

Whether it involved dresses, babies, blankets or everyday people, this year’s Girl Scout Gold Award projects stressed service and leadership. The Girl Scout Gold Award is a national award, a personal challenge and the highest award that a Girl Scout may choose to pursue.

Camille Palmer of Florissant  used her previous experience working with the St. Louis Crisis Nursery to create her project, Clothing O’Rama. It met an ongoing need for children’s clothing and volunteers to help families in crisis.

“I chose to work with the nursery because I wanted to give back to the community where I live and make a difference in the lives of children and families who face a sudden unexpected crisis in their lives,” Palmer said.

“The crisis nursery provides short-term care and a safe place for children when these emergencies arise. I learned about it several years ago when our Girl Scout troop provided assistance during the Christmas season. We hosted a baby shower, where each girl purchased and wrapped gifts and presented them to the St. Louis Crisis Nursery. I wanted to continue the partnership with the crisis nursery, so I chose this agency for my project.”

Weekly, Camille visited both Crisis Nursery locations to collect clothing from the bins, counted them and logged them into a spreadsheet. Tomieka Stephens, an intake counselor, said Camille took the initiative with two tasks at the nursery, which involved organizing separate closets.

“She organized everything in the art closet, which has been very helpful so we can find the materials we need,” Stephens said. “In the front closet, where we keep the diaper bins, she organized the bins so we can see what items we need at a glance.”

“I was very excited to complete my project because I was able to collect and distribute hundreds of clothing and other items to the crisis nursery,” Palmer said.

“I had the opportunity to volunteer at the nursery and spend time with some of the children who receive services. I was also able to organize a closet to house diapers, games and other items. I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to impact my community through this project.”

She toured one of the locations where clothing would be delivered and she created flyers and announcements to advertise and generate community interest in Clothing O’Rama. She held a kick-off clothing drive at her church and other drives took place at Crisis Nursery campuses.

To make sure this project is sustainable, shecreated a step-by-step instructional manual and held a training session with Girl Scout Cadettes. “I was also able to raise awareness about my project with the St. Louis Crisis Nursery through my kick-off event and other advertisements,” Palmer concluded.

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