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Stefanie Sommer awarded Gold Award

Greenwood Lake. So far she has created more than 600 BusyBags, animal-themed draw-string bags containing craft goodies to keep pediatric patients occupied while they are awaiting diagnosis and treatment in the hospital.

| 14 Aug 2023 | 04:12
    Pictured from left to right are: Deputy Sheriff Justin Worden, Village Trustee Nancy Clifford, Stefanie Sommer, Assemblyman Karl Brabanec, and Warwick Town Supervisor Mike Sweeton. Photo by Cathy Sommer
    Pictured from left to right are: Deputy Sheriff Justin Worden, Village Trustee Nancy Clifford, Stefanie Sommer, Assemblyman Karl Brabanec, and Warwick Town Supervisor Mike Sweeton. Photo by Cathy Sommer

On Friday, Aug. 12, 2023, elected officials awarded Greenwood Lake Girl Scout Stefanie Sommer with the Gold Award at the Elks Lodge on Chestnut Street in the Village of Greenwood Lake for her efforts in championing a community issue.

Senior and Ambassador-level Girl Scout members can earn the Gold Award — the highest award in Girl Scouting — by developing and carrying out lasting solutions to issues in their neighborhoods and beyond.

Personal experiences shaped her cause

After experiencing her share of injuries that required trips to the emergency room, urgent care, or doctor’s offices for herself and her brother, Stefanie created “BusyBags” an animal-themed draw-string bag containing craft goodies to keep pediatric patients occupied while they are awaiting diagnosis and treatment.

“Whenever I had to go to the emergency room I was always bored out of my mind,” Stefanie said, “so I wanted to do something for kids (and their siblings) that would lessen the anxiety and the harsh reality that they usually face, as I did.”

So far she has created more than 600 BusyBags and distributed more than 400 of them to area hospitals and the Greenwood Lake Ambulance Corps. The bags and their contents are designed to lessen the boredom that accompanies the potentially scary, pre-diagnosis time that kids face while in the hospital facing admission for themselves or a brother or sister.

Stefanie’s project has been well received by many recipients and the healthcare facilities because it fills a need that was lacking. When insightful girl scouts like Stefanie recognize these issues, everyone benefits. Girl Scouts of the USA aims to empower girls and to help teach values such as honesty, fairness, courage, compassion, character, sisterhood, confidence, and through activities including camping, community service, learning first aid, and earning badges by acquiring practical skills. Girl Scouts’ achievements are recognized through rank advancement and by various special awards such as the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. Membership is organized according to grade, with activities designed for each level.

For more information about the program for residents, please contact: Mabel Greslik amhk@optonline.net

‘Inspire others to make a difference, too’
GirlsScouts.org defines the criteria that allow its members to compete for this prestigious award, the equivalent to the Boy Scouts Eagle Scout honor:
“Gold Award Girl Scouts truly are the world changers, rock stars, role models, and real-life heroes we all look up to. Plus, they’re amazing candidates for colleges, scholarships, competitive internship programs, and exciting careers.
“Find an issue in your community or the world that you care about. Learn everything you can about that issue through research and trusted sources. Form a team by identifying experts and people in your community who could help you. Think about the root cause of an issue, then make a plan of how you could tackle it. Submit your project proposal to your Girl Scout council for approval. Lead your team and carry out your plan. Reflect on the change you’ve created in your community and the world, share your story, and inspire others to make a difference, too.”