GIRL SCOUTS HONORED AT LUNCHEON

The Otahki Girl Scout Council honored volunteers at the annual Appreciation of Volunteers program Saturday.

Carolyn Goodin, president of the Otahki Council, presented the awards. The Thanks Badge, one of the highest awards, honors an adult volunteer who has given at least 10 years of service to the benefit of the entire council.

The Thanks Badge was presented to Jean Bollinger of Cape Girardeau and Joy Braeuner of Oak Ridge.

Bollinger has been a Girl Scout volunteer for 17 years, serving as troop leader, troop consultant, service unit director, association chairman, trainer, and chairman or member of many council task groups. She was annual giving captain and is currently serving on the council board of directors and as chairman of the council's performance assessment task group.

She is employed by Union Electric, active in their employees club and serve her church, Trinity Lutheran, as Sunday School teacher and assists with the church youth. Bollinger and her husband, Ron, have a grown daughter, Lori.

Braeuner has been a Girl Scout volunteer for 12 years. She continues to serve in numerous ways, in addition to troop leadership. Her expertise is in coordinating and directing program events. Her dependable leadership has provided many service unit and council events for girls of all levels.

Braeuner is employed by Thorngate and is a community volunteer. She is president of the Iris Society and is active in her church youth groups. She and her husband, Donald, have two daughters, Jessica and Jolene.

The Honor Pin is given to an adult volunteer who has contributed at least seven years of service to Otahki Council. The 1998 recipients are Dixie Davie and Loida Quatmann, both of Jackson.

The Appreciation Pin, given for outstanding service for at least five years, was presented to Nona Abernathy, Joy Baker and Patti Eftink, of Jackson; Sue Allee and Becky Essner of Cape Girardeau; Myrtle Hillis of Wayne County; Gretel Nelson of Dongola, Ill.; Sheryl Ribbin of Anna, Ill.; and Lisa Santi of Marble Hill.

Board of Director members, Joyce Miller, Grace Hoover, Linda Dillman and Loretta Moeckel, and volunteer Barbara Kempster presented the following additional recognitions.

Service units, geographic areas of Otahki Council, were recognized for their achievements. The Juliette Low Award was presented to Cape Service Unit for having the highest percentage of girls compared to its population -- 3.6 girls of every 10 are Girl Scout members in Cape Girardeau.

Perryville Service Unit was awarded the Leona Bunch Award for achieving the highest retention rate -- 75 percent of its members are retained from the previous year.

The service units that attained membership goals are Cape, Hawthorne, Patton, Wayne County, Shawnee, and Alexander County, Ill.

All volunteers who attended were given a commemorative pin. The council is at the highest level of performance in its history. The 11 county area serves over 3,748 members.

Each of the geographic areas of the council selected their outstanding troop leader and volunteer.

Outstanding leaders: Fern Edward of Alexander County; Cheryl Alberternst, Mary Gosche and Dionne Hoffmeister of Cape; Sharon Schlitt of Dogwood; Louise Brewer of Hawthorne; Mary Brotherton and Pam Hold of Patton; Karen Clifton of Perryville; Polly Deck of Rolling Hills; Marcia Malnar of Shawnee; Betty Brooks, Jean Dudley and Geneva Hartle of Tsalagi; Melissa Stepp of Twappity; and Wanda Doolen of Wayne County.

Outstanding volunteers: Debra Dunning of Alexander County; Patricia Brase and Deborah Crader of Cape; Joann Easter of Dogwood; Debra Anderson of Hawthorne; David Fergson and Jane Ruble of Patton; Jayne Bohnert and Mary Kirn of Perryville; Nonie Cowell of Rolling Hills; Cheryl Gibbs of Shawnee; Theresa King, Coleen Moser and Becky Myracle of Tsalagi; Cathy Meador of Tywappity; Theresa Thiele of Wayne County.

Community Partnership Awards were also presented.

Alexander County Housing Authority, West Park Mall, St. Augustine's Parish, VFW Post 6043, Fredericktown, BPOE Lodge 2701, Lutesville Presbyterian Church, Mount Moriah Lutheran Church, Elks Lodge 1810 and KPWB Radio Station.