Girl Scouts Collect Food, Seek Volunteers

COURT HOUSE – Hundreds of non-perishable food items were collected by local Girl Scout troops around Cape May County this fall. Included in the food drive were troops from Lower Township, Court House, and Wildwood.
The collection drive benefits many throughout the county, explained Lower Township Girl Scout troop leader Dawn Larkin.
Thanks to the girls’ hard work and the generosity of the community the girls were able to donate to local food pantries and ‘More Than Enough Soup Kitchen’ in Wildwood Crest. The collection also benefited families with food for Thanksgiving.
As part of the collection drive, the Lower Township troop hosted a Fall Festival which required the girls bring a canned good to donate as admission to the event.
Troops also went door-to-door and collected items at various scout events.
Southern Seashore Girl Scouts, which covers the southern half of Cape May County, has approximately 120 active members. The girls help in the community with clean-up projects, volunteering at senior centers, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and are active in many collection drives.
Court House troop leader Christine Scarpa explained that the girls “gain valuable life skills such as financial literacy, public speaking, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and outdoor skills.” The girls make new friends and build confidence that they carry with them for life from being a Girl Scout. Not only do the girls learn skills they help throughout the community and learn the importance of giving back.”
Lower Township troop leader Chandi Ankrum explained there are about 35 volunteers involved locally with Girl Scouts. They are actively seeking more members.
Ankrum explains they are in need of troop leaders and support, “the amount of volunteers needed is open-ended,” she said.
Volunteers do not need to have a girl in the scouts, and all ages are welcome.
For information, contact jhovik@cmcherald.com.