Ellsworth Girls Scouts Donate Kids Cart

Girl Scout Junior Troop #1234 of Ellsworth Maine donated a “Kids’ Cart” for pediatric ICU patients at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital.  Raiya Vikberg, Aurora Haslam, Carly Desmond, and Rachel Barnes participated in the Bronze Award project planning and fund raising activities that produced the cart. The Bronze Award is the 3rd highest award in Girl Scouting. The process for deciding on the Bronze Award project requires the girls to look at different needs in the community where they would like to make a difference. When Aurora had a family member in the ICU and the troop discussed how little there is for children to do while admitted to the hospital, and how scary it can be for children, they decided that a cart was the perfect project to undertake.

The troop held two fundraisers, a bake sale and a bottle drive, which netted around $300. They also voted to put additional funds from their troop account towards the project in order to include all of the items they wanted.  The troop members also went door to door to area businesses and asked for help for their project. The Ellsworth American, Ruth Foster's, Union River Book & Toy Co., and The Craft Barn, as well as several local families donated items for the cart. Home Depot of Ellsworth donated the cart itself, which saved the girls at least $100 that could then be spent on items on the cart.