AREA GIRL SCOUTS RECEIVE TOP HONOR

The hard work and long projects finally paid off for 22 area Girl Scouts Sunday afternoon.

On Sunday, the girls received the highest award available to any girl scout, the Gold Award from the Girl Scouts of America.

The girls who received the award were required to earn at least four interest patches, the leadership award and the career exploration pin, as well as complete the Senior Girl Scout challenge. They also planned their own Gold Award project.

Girl Scout Troop 172 from Perryville received the most Gold Awards, with 14 troop members honored.

Their projects included organizing a Girl Scout Sunday Mass and conducting scout camps.

"We didn't let them off the hook," said troop leader Evelyn Rehagen. "Some of the girls would come in their basketball uniforms after practice and we would repeat things to get it all done."

Sarah Caldejon compiled information about the history of girl scouting for her project. The result was a book entitled, "A History of Girl Scouting in Perry County, 1943-present."

Caldejon found most of the information on microfilm and in newspaper articles.

"I contacted anyone who had pictures or articles," she said. "Some of the members from earlier years didn't remember much, but the later ones had lots of information."

A copy of the book has been donated to the Perry County Historical Society, the Girl Scout Otahki Council and the troop, Caldejon said.

Other troop members honored were: Julie Gebhardt, Clarissa Hager, Erin Kiefer, Angela Kirn, Amanda Kutz, Angela L'Hote, Vicki Peters, Kara Rehagen, Jamie Sandler, Lindsey Schaaf, Amy Trapp, Cori Welland, Amy Winkler and Kirsten Werne.

Other area winners were: Christy Etherington and Carrie Heise, both of Troop 43 in Jackson; Jennifer Campbell and Rebecca Abernathy, Troop 164; Nichole Jones, Troop 171; Tricia Keller, Troop 268; and Susannah Gillan of Group 2000.

Almost 50 Cadet Girl Scouts received the Silver Award which is given to younger girls. It is the second highest honor bestowed upon a Girl Scout.

Denise Stewart, executive director of the Otahki Council, said the number of graduating seniors is about average, but she said there were a large number of Gold Award winners this year.