Last summer, Elizabeth City Girl Scouts Emily and Jessica completed their Gold Award projects at the SPCA of Northeastern North Carolina. Emily built five walking trails, including signs to mark the trails and a staircase and bridge to help make parts of the trails easier to walk on. Jessica built benches and trash bag holders to encourage people to pick up after the dogs. Both of the girls intended for their projects to create a safer and more inviting space for people to get to know the dogs available for adoption, as well as a place for staff and volunteers to exercise the dogs at the shelter.
In May, the SPCA of Northeastern North Carolina moved to a new location with more indoor and outdoor space to accommodate the animals, staff and volunteers. Knowing that their projects were no longer in use, this summer, Emily and Jessica contacted the shelter and volunteered to move the items they had built for their Gold Award projects to the new location. The shelter accepted the offer, eager to add some seating, as well as elements for the dogs, in their new outdoor space.
Emily and Jessica returned to the former SPCA building and dug up all of the items they had built for their project. They brought everything home to make some updates and adjustments. They then visited the new SPCA site to install the benches. Emily turned her bridge into a ramp for dogs to play on in the field. Her staircase for the trail at the previous site was also added to the new area as a play element for dogs.
With their project moved to the new site, the pieces that Emily and Jessica built are continuing to serve the animals, staff, volunteers and potential adoptive families at the SPCA. Once again, there is a safe and inviting outdoor space for animals and humans to play and relax.
Emily and Jessica recently finished their senior year of high school. Come October, the start of the next Girl Scout year, they will officially be Girl Scout alumnae and will continue to participate in the organization as adult members.
girl scouts of the colonial coast
