Five local Girl Scouts earn honors

Recipients of the Girl Scout Gold Award will be honored at the Celebration of Achievement reception in Vernon Hills on Tuesday.

The final step of earning a Gold Award is a project structured to encourage candidates to identify a community need. It must be at least 50 hours of work that includes planning and implementation.

Gold Award recipients from the area include:

• Becky Derango, Grayslake, Girl Scout Troop 3005. Project raised community awareness and helped furnish a Youth Center in Grayslake. Attends Grayslake North High School.

• Sarah Garrison, Grayslake, Girl Scout Troop 119. Project provided service to Catholic Charities by creating Christmas gift bags for children. Attends Grayslake North High School.

• Katie Puszka, Buffalo Grove, Girl Scout Troop 3339. Project made 65 blankets for children staying at WINGS (Women In Need Growing Stronger) shelter. Attends Stevenson High School.

• Elizabeth (Bert) Hansen and Ashley Rapaport, Deerfield, Girl Scout Troop 2675. Project addressed hunger in Lake County by planting and harvesting fresh vegetables for the Deerfield Township Food Bank. Both attend Deerfield High School.