Home News Local News Girl Scouts share gift of reading with CAST, hospital — donate more...

Girl Scouts share gift of reading with CAST, hospital — donate more than 1,700 books

“Books build better lives.”

The four words were at the heart of a project completed by Girl Scouts in Troop 1474, who embarked upon the labor of love to satisfy the requirements for their Bronze Award.

The girls not only collected 1,756 books for Community Action of Southold Town and Eastern Long Island Hospital, but conceived of and created two beautiful bookshelves to donate to the organizations.

Troop leader Nicole B. Brewer, who has been the girls’ Scout leader since they were in kindergarten, organized visits to CAST and ELIH today, to present the books and bookcases.

Outside CAST this morning, the girls, bonded in friendship and their mission to give back to the community, described what they enjoyed most about the project, including learning how to build the shelves themselves, as well as helping others.

The project echoed a similar outreach the Scouts participated in as Brownies, when they collected “Books for Babies” and donated them to CAST.

The girls said they collected books from their own shelves at home, and also, enlisted the help of a generous community to gather the books for both children and adults.

Brewer said the shelves were designed to fit into spaces created specifically for them at CAST and ELIH; at the hospital, the shelf will be set up in a second floor family waiting room, and be stocked with both adult and kids’ reads.

To create the bookshelves, the girls worked with builder Amos Meringer, who taught them that carpentry involves much more than just picking up a hammer, Brewer said; it also involves math and careful calculations.

Working with the girls, Meringer said, was “fantastic. I find these girls to be diligent and engaging, focused and driven — a true pleasure to work alongside. They absorb like sponges,” and approached construction, “a traditionally male-dominated field, with fervor and accuracy, running saws and accurately reading tape measures to a 16th, repeatedly.”

In addition, Brewer thanked Riverhead Building Supply, where owners led the girls on a tour of the Riverhead facility, opening up their doors and teaching the Scouts all about types of wood and how they are used.

All of the girls are entering sixth grade at Cutchogue East; they said that Principal Kathleen Devine, a former Girl Scout, was wonderfully supportive of their project, helping to hang posters and allowing them to set up a big book donation box at the elementary school. The box was filled to overflowing; books started appearing at Brewer’s home, the girls said.

The girls, who donated some of their own favorite books, including books for toddlers and the Harry Potter classics, said they were moved to embark upon the project after hearing about those who may have experienced floods or other tragedies, or who were homeless or poor, and could not afford to buy books.

Brewer said to earn the Girl Scout Bronze award, the girls had to work 20 hours, but went “above and beyond,” some working from 28 to 30 hours on the project. With all the required paperwork also complete, each girl has earned her Bronze Award; a ceremony will be held in the fall.

“I’m so proud of them,” Brewer said. Despite their busy schedules, filled with school, sports, music programs and other extracurricular activities, the girls “embraced” the project, pouring their hearts into giving back to the community. “Their enthusiasm is infectious,” she said.

Brewer, who’s always worked full-time, has made room in a busy mom’s life to be a Scout leader, and says watching the girls so committed to giving back is rewarding, just as watching them grow from has been a joy. “They’ve made this a priority since kindergarten,” she said.

Sidney Brewer, her daughter, said her love of books has flourished over the past few years. “I love reading,” she said, adding that she wants to share her passion for literature with others.

“I have to argue with her to turn off the light at bedtime,” Brewer agreed.

While at CAST, a volunteer for the Southampton Anti-Bias Task Force asked the girls if they’d like to volunteer to help at an upcoming community picnic. They girls were thrilled to see their next project take shape.

2015_0904_Books2The bonds formed among the Girl Scouts are unbreakable; the girls are close, laughing and hugging, joking and sharing stories and play dates. “Friends forever,” said Cassandra Stevens, whose siblings are also involved in Scouting; she’s already looking ahead to her Gold Project, which she said will involve helping animals through dog obedience.

The girls, including Sidney Brewer, Mackenzie Conroy, Cassidy Czujko, Ariel Elmore, Kaitlin Elmore, Lilly Fogarty, Olivia Goerler, Lucy Hasel, Samantha Hildesheim, Cassandra Stevens, Emily Nicholson, and Maya Hamilton, were joined by fellow Scout Ainsley Brewer as they delivered the books and shelves.

Tammie Hildesheim, Samantha’s mother, said the community was also to be commended for opening their hearts and donating books and time to the Scouts.2015_0904_Books3

The project, Hildesheim said, was “moving”, working in a local school district, she seems many children who might not have a home address, whose parents may have lost their jobs and are sleeping on friends’ or relatives’ couches, and therefore, cannot obtain a library card. The books donated, she said, might be the only opportunity they have to embrace an early love of reading.

Reading, added Carol McAffery, Cassandra’s grandmother, takes a person “into another world.” She remembered her youngest son, with a friend, laughing and telling a story from a book before he couldn’t read yet, just by looking at the pictures.

Hildesheim said her son, who is autistic, first found his lifelong love of books when reading the “Biscuit” series, beloved children’s books about a small yellow puppy. Today,  she said, although her son has a tablet, he prefers a book, instead. “There’s something nostalgic about turning the pages of a book.”

Linda Ruland, executive director of CAST, thanked the Scouts for their generous donation as they set up the bookcase, decorated with each of the girls’ handprints, and helped to store the extra books for those in need.

CAST will celebrate its 50th anniversary on September 17 with an event at the Soundview from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

SHARE