Raising awareness about K9 units in the military oversea and collecting donations for soldiers and their animal co-workers has earned two Jackson teens the Girl Scout Gold Award.
“I chose this project to help the dogs and give back to the soldiers for protecting our country,” said Eliana Lisuzzo, a junior at Jackson Liberty High School. “The most successful aspect of our project would probably be working with the Girl Scout troops, they put a lot of hard work into the letters, drawings and bandanas [we sent to the soldiers and their dogs] and they turned out great.”
The girls held a collection drive for supplies for the dogs and soldiers overseas in addition to educating the community about the work military dogs do.
“We want to help the dogs and soldiers because they do so much to protect America,” said Rebecca Weigand, also a junior at Jackson Liberty High School.
Lisuzzo and Weigand are two of more than 60 girls from Monmouth and Ocean counties who have already earned a Gold Award this year from the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore. The Gold Award is the highest achievement available to a teen Girl Scout. The program is designed to help girls, ages 14-18, create a foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship.
Although it’s called an award, the Gold Award is earned, not given, and it isn’t easily achieved. Each recipient must spend at least 65 hours completing a project that combines organizational, leadership and networking skills with community service. The girl must feel passionate about the project in thought, deed and action. The project should also have an impact in the girl’s community that ideally will continue even after her involvement ends.
I guess it’s a shame I’m not a Girl Scout.
We’ve been doing a display on the history of Military Working Dogs, WWII until Today, for about a year now, and never get any awards – but at least we get lots of people interested in working dogs and their history.