Gold, silver, bronze awards presented at Lanterman

Family, friends and dignitaries gathered in Lanterman Auditorium on May 23 to congratulate the La Cañada Girl Scouts earning the gold, silver and bronze awards. Following the flag ceremony by Cadette Troop 297, and invocation by Anthony Portantino, 19 outstanding young women were awarded the Gold Award, the highest award given to girls in Girl Scouting.

Earned by less than five percent of Girl Scouts, the recipient engages in activities that promote community service, personal and spiritual growth, skill building, career exploration, and leadership. Each girl’s Gold Project involves service to others that she is passionate about.

Receiving the Gold Award were Senior Girl Scouts: Troop 90: Sue Elftman, Leader; Belinda Wulke, Leader; Jennifer Lazo, Michelle Lee, Sarah Maize,

Claire Oakes, Nicole Warburton and Darcy Wilcox.

Troop 104: Andrea Terry, Leader; Sherry Jung, Hilary Khteian and Allison Terry.

Troop 265: Marian Macho, Leader; Christine H. Cho, Tracy Emiko Fong, Jenna Marie Macho, Elizabeth Miller, Stacy Na and Rashmi Sahai.

Troop 894: Janice Hing, Leader; Elaine La Mar, Leader; Emily Hing, Cheryl Johnson, Sarah Maxwell and Kelley Nagaishi.

Certificates of achievement were given by Laura Olhasso, Mayor, La Cañada Flintridge; Los Angeles County Sheriffs and Fire Fighters; and the girls’ home church. Additional achievement awards will be received at the Mt. Wilson Vista Council Gold Award ceremony.

The Silver Award is the second highest award given in Girl Scouting. Receiving the Silver Award were Cadette Girl Scouts: Troop 33 Susan Boyd, Leader; Teryl MacDougall, Leader; Colleen Boyd, Sally Choi, Jordan Lew, Kelsey MacDougall, Carly Melzer, Michelle Morris, Katie Nathan, Nikki Nathan, Regina Saavedra, Elizabeth Toomarian and Bonnie Wilcox.

Troop 95/134: Cindy deBrauwere, Leader; Jerri Pih, Leader; Grace Chang, Leader; Katherine Bliss, Amy Brenot, Samara Cahill, Abigail Chang, Alisa Ching, Jessica Chung, Remy deBrauwere, Amanda Gartside, Carla Gharibian, Brittany Kang, Katie Lazo, Alana Mailes, Jessica Pih, Jeannie Shin, Chrissy Smith, Lauryn Togioka, Carrington Witte, Taylor Witte and Melissa Woodhouse.

Troop 123: Dani Meeker, Leader; Becky Kent, Leader;

Heather Crowley, Emily Kent

Carol Lee, Carissa Meeker, Leeza Sanfilippo and Samantha Yu.

Troop 184: Karen Parks, Leader; Mopy Locker, Leader; Katherine Finch, Jacquelyn Gorsch, Rebecca Hummel, Kathleen Locker, Elizabeth Mack, Samantha Magnuson, Margaret Mazur, Amanda O’Toole, Mallory Parks, Nicolina Salvo and Anna Valls.

Troop 297: Anne Tryba, Leader; Stephanie Anderson,

Brittany Fors, Katie Hale, Holly Jamison, Simi Kamboj

Elizabeth Kim, Erica Lee, Alissa Meeks, Lacey Miyazaki, Jennifer Morishita, Emily Pearson, Katie Porter and Kristin Tisdale.

Troop 754: Marie Abajian, Leader; Linda Anderson, Leader; Melissa Kil.

The Bronze Award was received by Junior Girl Scouts: Troop 37: Jan Hotchkin, Leader; Kathy Hernandez, Leader; Callen Chung-Wolf, Shannon Denney,

Sarah Franklin, Kristen Hernandez, Carolyn Hotchkin

Morgan Miller, Ragini Sahai

Kelsey Walker and Elizabeth Weinberger.

Troop 99: Linda Young, Leader; Betty Wong, Leader;

Abigail Barker, Lynn Benjauthrit, Abigail Brown, Elizabeth Koleong, Terese Rutkowski, Claire Steckbeck

Kelsey Wong, Nicole Yonan

Goldie Young, Yenmin Young and Tina Zdawczyk.

Troop 162: Patty Thompson, Leader; Jeanette Docherty, Leader; Clarisse Aoanan,

Alexa Barsamian, Alyssa DeOca, Katelyn Docherty, Kristine Locker, Claire Nolan

Nicole Peltier, Kathryn Reynolds and Lucy Thompson.

Troop 237: Deborah Brandt, Leader; Belinda Wulke, Leader; Christina Brandt, Brittany Docherty,

Kelly Eisenbrand, Erin Gonzalez, Megan Hamm, Alexandra Kolbe, Margaret Mack,

Maureen McDonald, Mallory Mudie, Sidney Smith and Theresa Wulke.

Troop 280: Rita Nathan, Leader; Wendy Jensen, Leader; Anna Brenner, Madeline Crowley, Anna Hause, Kelly Jensen, Lauren Mazahery, Megan Nathan, Heather Ragusa, Rachel Ragusa, Ling Rao, Krysti Teng and Catherine Weirick.

Troop 589: Monica Heath, Leader; Morgan Chan,

Hilary Hull, Annabel Lee, Grace O’Hara, Melissa Pittson

Mary Reardon, Caroline Reich, Julia Rowe and Jessica Yamamoto.

Troop 656: Katy McCollum, Leader; Judy Sherif, Leader; Jolene Anderson, Nicole Froidevaux, Elena Fuhrmann, Caroline Heer, Kandice Jung, Robin Kim, Eviane Leidig, Cece McCollum, Chelsea Meeks, Natalie Sherif and Helen Won.

Troop 782: Sharon Sherman, Leader; Patti Wickersham, Leader; Mackinzi Anderson, Bethy Grosch, Sara Wickersham, Samantha Wickersham, Elizabeth YiDonoy, Sarah Sherman and Elisa YiDonoy.

Troop 798: Patty Parker, Leader; Kellsey Butler, Brianna Elmassian, Jane Kang, Megan Martin, Paige Parker, Tara Rallis, Mary Jo Scott, Chelsea Skovran, Sylvia Stoker, Aridae Van Sickle, Michelle Van Wyk and Mary Young.

The ceremony included Leadership Awards, 10 Year Membership Awards, Religious Awards and Bridging from one level of Scouts to the next higher level. Following “Taps” played by Girl Scout Emily Elftman, trumpet, a reception and Project Display was held in the foyer and patio. Christie Frandsen, a 25-year leader, presented over 200 Girl Scouts their awards and shared that “This ceremony is dedicated to the wonderful parents and leaders who held these young women in their hearts and hands and now proudly stand back and watch them soar.”

Photos by Belle n’ Beau Photography

Christine H. Cho

Christine H. Cho is a Senior Girl Scout of Troop # 265 and is currently a senior at La Canada High School. In the summer of 2003, Christine coordinated “Family Time” at the Harambee Summer Day Camp in Pasadena. For five weeks, she worked with the Harambee Christian Center to organize and implement activities addressing music appreciation. Christine helped create a project that allowed students, varying in age from pre-school to junior high, to express themselves for one hour each day through music, giving them an opportunity to become active and participatory.

Tracy Fong

In the summer of 2003, Tracy Fong became a leader at Harambee Preparatory School in Pasadena, and successfully carried out her Girl

Scout Gold Award Project. For five weeks, she was blessed with the opportunity to teach the children during the “Family Time” morning session. Telling stories, playing games with the children and passing on her skills of culinary arts, she was able to embrace her many passions of life in this single summer.

Emily Erin Hing

For her gold project, Emily created a website for the La Cañada Flintridge Trails Council. In designing the website, Emily researched similar Websites, talked to experienced Website creators and became a junior board member of the Council. Emily communicated with the members to collect information to put on the website. This information included pictures, history of the organization, links to other sites and overall design of the site. By providing this website, the Trails Council has established a method of communication between trail council members,

homeowners, the city, county and anyone else who is interested.

Cheryl Ann Johnson

For my Gold Project, I made over 50 care packages for abused children in the Pasadena area. When children have to suddenly leave their homes due to abuse, they aren’t allowed to take anything with them so social services give them these care packages. Each care package contained: one shampoo and conditioner bottle, a lotion, a bar of soap,

toothpaste, a toothbrush, gum, crayons and an activity book. All of these items were donated by community friends, my church and local Girl Scout troops. All of the items were placed in drawstring bags sewn by local Girl Scout troops, my mom and myself.

Sherry Alison Jung

Sherry set about to raise community awareness of the plight of patients in the LA County/USC Hospital. Due to the severe cut backs at all our state run health programs, there has been a critical need for items to provide comfort and care to needy patients. Sherry was able to collect three truck loads of comfort items which were sorted and delivered to the LA County/USC Volunteer Services and the Chaplain departments. Sherry also organized a “Heritage Luncheon” to celebrate the multi-cultural church. Over 100 people attended to listen to speakers embrace the multi-cultural, multi-racial church of the 21st century, dine on foods from different countries and be entertained by musicians from the La Cañada High School Band.

Hilary Khteian

Hilary helped a poor school in Armenia, H. Shiraz, by collecting and donating school supplies and distributing them to the earthquake damaged school. She asked for donations through flyers, the Internet and different office store corporations and used contacts she had within the Armenian community as well as business and personal contacts. Her greatest donation accomplishments included 15 complete pre-owned computer systems, 35 office chairs (retail value $10,000), restroom supplies (valued at $1000), 90 backpacks, and multiple miscellaneous supplies. She hopes the supplies donated will enrich the lives of the students at this school.

Jennifer Lazo

For her Gold Award, Jennifer Lazo collected toys and books for the victims of the recent Southern California wildfires and hosted a Christmas party for the children victims in an affected area. She collected gifts from the La Cañada community, many of them from the congregation of La Cañada Presbyterian Church. The party was held five days before Christmas at Crestline Community Presbyterian Church. Forty children and many adults attended. Each child received several toys and a stuffed animal. Games and crafts, ranging from making ornaments to decorating cookies, entertained the children. A surprise visit from the local firefighters allowed the children to see the inside of a fire truck and an ambulance and thank the heroes for their efforts in saving the city. Santa visited and delivered presents to each thrilled and grateful child. Extra gifts were donated to the fire department’s toy drive.

Michelle Lee

For her Gold Award project, Michelle organized an art and culture exchange with Mongolian children. Through Ulan Bator Foundation and

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, she had the opportunity last summer to volunteer at the central pediatric hospital in Mongolia. She helped give the young patients there their first taste of the joy of art in a hand painting art project. The handprints of these Mongolian children as well as those of eight local Brownie Girl Scout troops were sewn together into 12 beautiful baby quilts to be sent back to the hospital. Michelle hopes that the quilts will bring a sense of love and cheer to our less fortunate brothers and sisters overseas.

Jenna Marie Macho

For Jenna’s Gold award, she worked with Union Station in Pasadena making draperies for the family room in their new emergency family shelter. To create a home-like atmosphere and help with privacy problems within the home, Jenna fundraised enough money to purchase

46 yards of fabric to sew eight floor to ceiling tab draperies for the new home. Given a tight deadline, she successfully designed, sewed and installed the drapes for the opening of the shelter. Jenna was fortunate to be able to utilize her love of sewing and creative art skills.

Sarah Maize

Sarah’s Gold Project combined her love of arts and crafts with her interest in caring for children. She developed the idea of creating a number of self contained craft projects for children in long term hospital

care. The craft projects were suitable for children who were confined to a hospital bed or in the hospital’s Art Therapy program. She raised the money for the craft supplies through neighborhood fund-raising. She purchased the supplies for the projects in bulk and packaged them into individual craft bags. In all, she distributed 400 craft bags to children at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles and to children attending the holiday party at the Glendale Adventist Hospital.

Sarah Elizabeth Maxwell

For her Gold Project, Sarah held a video drive at her school to collect new and used videos for the Oncology playroom at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Her goal was to make the patients feel better and provide entertainment while they were being treated. Sarah was able to collect over 450 videos for the kids. There were so many movies she had to split them up among four different playrooms throughout the hospital. Sarah’s inspiration for this project was from her friend Ashley who spent over two years at Children’s while being treated for cancer. While she visited Ashley she noticed that the other patients weren’t watching quality TV and their parents couldn’t go out and rent videos for them.

That is where she got the idea for a movie drive.

Elizabeth Miller

Elizabeth Miller wanted to serve a cause she felt was of great importance to her community. She ultimately decided to do her Gold Award project for Union Station, an organization that helps the homeless get back on their feet. After all of the proper planning for her project, she organized and held a garage sale in her community to raise money for her cause. She used the earned money to buy needed items for one of the rooms at Union Station’s new family emergency shelter in

Pasadena, California. She then donated the left over money to the organization.

Stacy Na

Stacy Na, a senior at La Cañada High School, was born on February 7, 1986. She has been a Girl Scout since fifth grade. For her Girl Scout Gold Award, Stacy held a blood and platelet drive for the University of Southern California Hospital at La Cañada High School in the summer of 2003. She also spoke to many organizations and clubs, including churches and schools about the necessity for blood and platelet donations. Also, Stacy made a pamphlet full of beneficial information

filled with facts about blood, to help others organize blood drives. For the blood donors, she also made baked goods and provided chips and drinks.

Kelley Nicole Nagaishi

For my project, I established a craft program and area for the patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Their current playroom needed many materials that they were not able to obtain due to their small budget. This project not only gave them the supplies they needed, but also created kits for the patients to do with visitors and family as well as established a more organized area for the crafts and materials. Along with the kits, a Craft Binder was set up with easy and fun crafts for anyone to find and do at any time.

Claire Oakes

Claire Oakes’ Gold Award, Equine Rescue and Education, let girls work with rescue horses to learn basic animal husbandry and first aid skills, as well as help improve the situations of Show Me and Natty, two rescue horses. In two separate sessions, 10 girls, plus volunteers from Claire’s troop, met 16 Saturdays to learn as much as they

could about horses, how to take care of them and how to help Show Me and Natty get adopted. They bathed, groomed, schooled and even

vaccinated many horses. Currently, Claire is continuing to work with the rescue horses, whose chances of being adopted soon are much increased due to the great work by the girls who volunteered.

Rashmi Sahai

For her Gold Award Rashmi raised money and solicited donations to furnish a room at Union Station, a local homeless shelter in Pasadena.

The room is part of a center to house homeless families so that they will not have split up. She was able to raise all the money necessary by contacting local businesses and by holding a garage sale. Rashmi also refinished some of the donated furniture.

Allison Brooke Terry

For her Gold Project, Allison collected 664 books for an

after school program in Pasadena. The elementary school children in this program have been removed from domestic violence situations. She also collected educational supplies, which included paper, pencils, crayons and markers. She organized their library for them complete with a check out system. She helped the children with their homework and decorated their bulletin boards.

Nicole-Marie Warburton

Nicole’s Gold Award Project choice reflected her interest in music. She gave harp performances to patients and staff at the Childrens Hospitals both in Los Angeles and Ulaan Baataar, Mongolia. She also helped to lead the first Child to Child Exchange Program between Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Ulaan Baataar, together with Darcy Wilcox and Michelle Lee. They worked to improve the environment for children in the hospital. She also helped make the first ever contact between Girl Scouts of America and the Mongolian Scout Association. Recently she has co-founded a Venture Crew for La Cañada youth and hopes to lead them back to Mongolia for another service project in summer 2005.

Darcy Katherine Wilcox

Darcy had a wonderful opportunity to do her Gold Project in Mongolia as a charter member of the California Mongolian Medical Project. Before leaving, Darcy collected toothbrushes and toothpaste from fellow Girl Scout Troops. She received generous contributions amounting to over sixty pounds of supplies. Darcy took these donations in a large suitcase to Ulan Baator, Mongolia, where she worked in the Maternal and Child Health Research Center with the rest of her group. Darcy taught children proper brushing technique using posters, model teeth and a translator over a period of two days. Back in La Cañada, Darcy presented music, costuming and photos from her trip to share aspects of Mongolian culture and her Gold Project with younger Girl Scouts.