Senior Girl Inspires HF-L to Make a Difference

Erin Carroll is used to doing good deeds.  After all, she’s been a well-decorated Girl Scout since her elementary school years and has worked hard to achieve the highest ranks in scouting. It’s no wonder that her mind was drawn to thinking about how she could make a difference to others. 

But, making a difference as one scout wasn’t enough for Erin.  Her goal was to get the entire HF-L School District and community on board in making a difference.  She achieved that on Tuesday, October 27, HF-L’s “Make A Difference Day”.

Once Erin approached Counselor, Christine Gephart, with her idea to make a large supply of fleece blankets for agencies, the wheels were set in motion.  With Christine’s help, the Community Assets Committee endorsed Erin’s project.  Erin identified the following agencies in need of the blankets:  Hope House, Hillside Children’s Center, The Center for Youth, The Genesis House, the Zion House and Chances and Changes. 

Erin arranged to have each school receive materials and instructions to make no-sew fleece blankets.  A call to the community went out for adult volunteers to join the students in making the blankets. Once constructed, the blankets were wrapped with ribbon and provided an inspirational message composed by the students.  Students of all ages, from Kindergarten to Grade 12 participated in the no-sew blanket-making sessions.  Parents and community members responded to the call and joined students in large numbers at each building.

The project resulted in 200 blankets being packaged and sent to the six identified agencies.  Beyond that result, something else occurred – a realization that one scout can make a difference.

view photo - click here