submitted by Sue Brissette
Ambassador Girl Scout Troop 1752, representing all communities in the Berlin School District, recently held a charitable giving drive and collected hundreds of coats, winter accessories and toys for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Center in Albany.[private]The girls were inspired by Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who was shot in the head by the Taliban for standing up for women’s right to receive an education. Malala went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for her global advocacy of human rights.
The troop learned about Malala’s work by watching a documentary on her life and attending a panel discussion sponsored by Russell Sage College and Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York. They listened to former refugee women who now attend Russell Sage discuss the difficulties of leaving their war torn countries to find sanctuary in the United States. Malala texted a message to the audience urging every girl to use her voice to improve the world.
Troop members delivered a truck load and two car loads of goods to the refugee center last week, toured the warehouse and learned more about the important work the center does in assisting sanctuary seekers to integrate into Capital District life. Donations were packed in large plastic bins donated by Home Depot of Pittsfield, Ma.
This service project is the next step towards earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in girl scouting. For more information about girl scouting in our community, please call Sue Cass at 518-764-0767 or Kathy Despart at 518-227-3219. [/private]