When my daughters were young, I was their Girl Scout leader for more than eight years. We did lots of things in Girl Scout Troop 147–we camped, we went on lots of out of town trips, we sold cookies, we sang songs. But one of the most important things we did was community service projects.
Girl Scout Troop 147 in Savannah, maybe 1988? 89?We visited the local nursing home to play bingo with the residents once a month. We made tray decorations for Meals On Wheels. We collected food for the needy and helped deliver the boxes when the girls were older. For the girls in our troop, the community service projects were a very important part of being Girl Scouts.
Last year, I joined Facebook, and have connected with many people I have known over the years through there. Many of my former Girl Scouts have “friended” me on Facebook, and I have been very proud to see how they have grown and matured. One of them, Jimell, is a stay at home mom to four beautiful children. Her son, Coby, thought up a neat community service project of his own.
Coby is making bookmarks to sell in his mom’s Etsy store. The money he makes on them is going to be spent buying books for his school library. I think it is a very good thing for him to do on his own. What a good kid!
Jimell says:
….”Coby just turned 8 in May and is going into the 3rd grade. He loves making crafts with me and has made bookmarks for his classmates and other friends and has always had fun creating new designs. He was brainstorming last week and asked if he could make some to sell on my Etsy shop. He thought of the idea of selling them to buy new books for his school library since they were doing a ‘bookraiser’ this last school year. I told him I thought it was a great idea and I would help him get the word out if he made the ‘Marks’ as he calls them. He made me agree on one condition…he got to read the books first before he took them to Mrs. Rachel (the librarian)”….
and here is what Coby says:
…”Hi, my name is Coby and I am 8 years old. I am in the 3rd grade. I love to make crafts like my mom. I love to read. I want to get my school some new books for the library. I came up with the idea to make book marks and sell them on my mom’s shop to raise money to buy new books. I make all my book marks myself but my mom lets me use her stuff.
Please buy a book mark from me. They are good for your Bible or a gift. Buy a bunch! I can make any color you want, just tell me. Thank you…”
(Coby with the first book he bought for his school.)
What a wonderful story! Well done Coby and his mum for encouraging him!
Janice.
What a great idea to raise funds for books. Plus you should be proud that you helped instill a strong value of community service in your scouts that is being passed along through the generations.
It sounds as if you have a wonderful grandson. Making book marks to raise money to buy books is a great idea. I hope he does well.
I really think it is great that Coby wants to read the books first. this is a great thing to do.
Thanks,George, but Coby is not my grandson. Jimell, his mother, was one of my Girl Scouts, not my own daughter. I'm just trying to support a good kid in his efforts.
What a fantastic kid. His plan is brilliant.
What a great little kid.
What a great idea for a project. And what a great kid!
Glad you saw the Bison and had your camera. Guess they will be around the area all summer…what a treat!
You know what's so great about that picture…I look like I'm miserable, along with half the other girls LOL and Becca looks like she's about to run away and play the sax at a local jaz club LOL The funny thing is, all I remember about those days is how WONDERFUL it was to have you and my friends in my life when I had no one at home who cared. 🙂 You made an impact that you didn't even know about. Thanks for being like a 'mom' when my mom wasn't.