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Girl Scouts create stone garden wall for Southold Elementary School, receive Bronze Awards

Girl Scouts in Troop 94 gave back in a big way to their community, creating a stone wall that skirts the front garden of Southold Elementary School and was dedicated in a ceremony yesterday.

The girls worked for a year on the project, which was conceived to help them earn their Bronze Award, raising more than $1,000 for materials and costs.

“I am beyond proud of them,” said the girls’ Troop Leader Nicole Alloway.

Not only did the girls decide upon the project, but they were involved in every aspect of the process, from fundraising and creating a budget to actually using wet saws and scribes to help create the garden wall by hand.

“Every stone you see in that wall was placed by a 10-year-old girl,” Alloway said.

The girls described their journey, explaining that the Bronze Award is the highest honor bestowed upon Girl Scout Juniors.

In order to embark upon their project, it had to be approved by Council. The goal was to create something that was sustainable and would last for generations.

They discussed a number of ideas, including a mural and possible installation of soap dispensers. But, having planted flowers in the garden each year, they noticed that it was a bit messy, with some litter, and decided to create a stone wall to add lasting beauty to the garden.

The girls worked together to research stone and pavers and raised money through selling magazine subscriptions and “hundreds and hundreds of boxes of Girl Scout cookies.”

Troop members thanked the community for their generosity, with many residents often buying an extra box of cookies or donating an extra dollar after they learned about their project.

2015_0930_Scouts2The group researched how to actually build the wall, then raked, cleaned up the garden and moved plants; they dug a shallow trench and tamped down the soil so a solid foundation could be created.

The girls knowledgeably described using liquid levels and caulk guns and said through every step of the process, safety came first — they all donned gloves, safety goggles and ear plugs, when necessary, and put their hair back to avoid any accidents.

The pieces of the wall were like a puzzle, they said; care was taken to ensure the top of the wall would be smooth and safe for young children who might balance on the surface.

Southold Elementary School Principal Ellen O’Neill said she was very proud of the girls and said the project encompassed, math, science, literacy and public speaking skills.

She said she was happy to see the girls imbuing life skills they’d learned in the classroom into their Girl Scout project, and said the work was so professional, they could find jobs in the field.

The students presented the principal with a ceremonial shovel, which will hang in the elementary school office, she said.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell was onhand to award each girl with a certificate. He said he was impressed with the professional quality of the work. The wall, he said, would live on as an example for future student, a testament to the importance of “getting involved and making a difference.”

The girls then headed inside the school for their bridging ceremony from Juniors to Cadettes.

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