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Girl Scout keeps a 'can'-do attitude toward her project

Deidra Felici
By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW Imagine working a full 40 hours without receiving any monetary compensation. Now imagine working 65. Girl Scouts aiming to earn their Silver and Gold Awards must volunteer 40 and 65 hours, respectively, in projects that assist and better their communities.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout aged 14 - 18 may earn, according to the Girl Scouts of America Web site. "For many, the leadership skills, organizational skills, and sense of community and commitment that come from 'going for the Gold' set the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship," the site stated.

Deidra Felici, a sophomore at Longmeadow High School, is ready to go for the gold with her project, a canned goods drive called "Schools Can Make a Difference."

The 16-year-old said she's been with the Girl Scouts for 10 years, although she's "basically a troop of one right now."

Felici said the goal of her canned goods drive is to get people to help.

"My dad's friend was homeless for a while, so I kind of know what that can be like firsthand," Felici told Reminder Publications. The food she collects will be donated to the Open Pantry of Springfield to help those who may have fallen on hard times as well. "I thought this was a good cause," she added.

Felici coordinated her drive with the Open Pantry through Sara Haimowitz, the organization's development director. The two first spoke about the project in September.

"Our Emergency Food Pantry depends on the participation of people like Deidra," Haimowitz said. She added that she sees this type of project often with both Boy and Girl Scouts.

"It's great when they get the community involved," she stated.

While Felici has done other community service projects in the past, she said none have been as important to her as this one. She continued that once she's done with her project and can no longer be considered a Girl Scout, she'll want to help out with the younger troops in Longmeadow.

The "Schools Can Make a Difference" canned goods drive runs March 3 - 7 and collection boxes will be available at Storrs Library, Blueberry Hill Elementary School, Center School, Wolf Swamp Elementary School, Glenbrook Middle School and Longmeadow High School. (Felici explained that Williams Middle School already hosts its own canned goods drive.) She will be accepting canned goods and other non-perishable food items.

"I'll be collecting the food on a day by day basis," Felici said. "I'll count what was collected and then bring it to Open Pantry."

She has a goal of collecting 1,500 canned goods during her Gold Award project.