McDONALD - Girl Scout Troop 80344 received the Silver Level President's Volunteer Service Award for outstanding community service.
A surprise ceremony was held recently at Roosevelt Elementary School and included special guests state Rep. Sean O'Brien, Mayor Glenn Holmes and his wife, Carol, and school principals Gary Carkido and David Vecchione.
Troop leader Candice Ward and assistant troop leaders Lori Gillespie and Patricia Vilk-Worrell presented the awards, which consisted of the Silver Level Service Pin, a letter signed by President Barack Obama, official service recognition certificate and a certificate stating the activities each girl participated in to earn the award.
"There are so many thanks to be given for all the support of our troop's leadership," Ward said. "Girl Scout families, service organizations, school administrators, local and state government leaders, and Girl Scouts of northeast Ohio - partnering together truly has had a positive impact on the lives of many, and we will continue working to make the world a better place."
This past year, Girl Scout Troop 80344 spent 544 hours helping others and is already working toward their 2011 award.
The scouts have participated in more than 30 projects during 2010 including Project Linus for the Akron Children's Hospital Beeghly Campus; Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley Collections; Veterans Day cards for the Cleveland Veterans Hospital; reverse trick-or-treat and holiday project at the Woodland Park Retirement Apartments; Make It Don't Take It card project; and Angel Tree donations. They also took up collections for school supplies, health kits, Animal Welfare League, Goodwill, Niles Community Center, Warren Family Mission, USO and Center of Hope.