Girl Scout Troop 99 delivers pillowcases to Ronald McDonald House
Girl Scout Troop 99 delivered 21 fuzzy, soft pillowcases to the Ronald McDonald House in Winfield that they hand sewed for the patients receiving treatment at Central DuPage Hospital and residing at the Ronald McDonald House.
The second-graders from Munhall Elementary School in St. Charles includes 21 girls, most who have belonged since kindergarten. The troop is led by troop leaders BethAnn Fitzgerald and Michelle Mustard.
For the past three years, Troop 99 has been very philanthropic and this year participated in various philanthropic endeavors.
In September 2016, Troop 99 took a tour of the Humanitarian Service Project in Carol Stream and then participated in the "Birthday Box" program. Troop 99 chose a girl their age and then donated everything a parent needs to provide their child a proper birthday celebration: cake mix, frosting, birthday plates/napkins, balloons, for six children-party bags and party favors and five birthday presents for the Birthday Child.
On two Saturdays in October 2016, Troop 99 participated in "Cookies from the Heart" at the Ronald McDonald House in Winfield and baked cookies for the patients and families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.
In November 2016, the girls returned to the Ronald McDonald House and personally delivered fuzzy, soft pillowcases they sewed by hand for patients receiving medical treatment at Central DuPage Hospital and staying at the RMH.
In December 2016, for the second year in a row, Troop 99 sponsored two girls who reside at the Lazarus House in St. Charles and purchased everything on their Christmas lists.
For the past three years, Troop 99 has donated over 240 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the Families in Need in District 303, Community Crisis Center in Elgin and the Lazarus House in St. Charles.
In addition to showing the girls the importance of giving back to one's community, Troop 99 believes strongly in modeling: courage, character and confidence.
This year, Troop 99 wear T-shirts under their brownie vests to school on meeting days and on the front it reads "Be Kind" and backside "Kindness is Contagious." Troop 99 has been encouraged to have the "Courage and Confidence" to stand up to other students who might not "Be Kind" and to model "Kindness" in hopes of spreading "Kindness is Contagious." Girls regularly share at meetings how they have modeled "Kindness" to other students throughout the school day and hope their "Kindness" will be "Contagious" and continue to spread.
One of the girls in Troop 99, Aricin "Ari" Bigda shaved her head for the St. Baldrick's Foundation in support of children fighting cancer. At the following brownie meeting, Ari was showered with support from her troop members as the girls circled around her in awe of her courage and confidence. For a second-grade girl to shave her head without hesitation, exemplifies courage, character and confidence to the utmost degree - and Troop 99 applauds Ari.
Troop 99 also believes in developing as well as fostering existing friendships and has participated in friendship building field trips this year. Those field trips include: art class at Art Savvy Studio, acting class at the Steel Beam Theatre, dance class at Third Street Dance and participated in the St. Charles St. Patrick's Day Parade. Troop 99 also received second place for their float in the nonprofit category in the 2015 St. Charles Electric Light Parade and in 2016 received 2nd place in the nonprofit category in the St. Charles St. Patrick's Day Parade for their decorations and participation.