The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘BRIGHTENING’ THEIR WORLD
Girl Scout Troop 40004 installs birdhouses at City Hall; juniors can use project to earn Bronze Award
TORRINGTON >> Members of Torrington Junior Girl Scout Troop 40004 came to the steps of City Hall this week, giddy with energy, carrying shovels, a ladder, and three birdhouses they had built, ready to provide a bit of color on a drizzly day and earn their highest honor.
The troop, made up of fifthgraders, has built and installed a series of birdhouses at the Edward Sullivan Senior Center, Bowman Gardens, to earn the Bronze Award — the top accolade available to junior-level scouts.
In the process, the scouts said they hoped to do something positive for the community, and live up to the Girl Scout code.
“We feel like we should help the community,” said Caroline
Sienkiewicz.
“In every possible way,” added Freyja Harrel.
They decided on the project, according to troop leader Sharon Cremasco, as a point of common consensus and concern, because construction projects and removal of trees on Route 8 can potentially threaten the homes of birds.
“All my girls are animal lovers, for one thing,” said Cremasco. “We thought it was a good idea to keep our birds here.”
More than $200 worth of materials for the project, including hammers, gloves, safety goggles, and paint, were donated to the troop by the Home Depot on East Main Street, Cremasco said.
The wood used to construct the birdhouses was also donated by Home Depot in the form of pallets, which were later taken apart by troop members.
Along with Mayor Elinor Carbone and city staff, the girls put three houses into place in front of City Hall Monday — one to either side of the main staircase, the other hanging from a tree in front of the Assessor’s Office — and taking to the task with gusto as they enjoyed each other’s company.
Carbone said Tuesday that she “loved” that the scouts had chosen birdhouses for their project.
“I think that it’s a perfect showcase,” said Carbone, noting that the houses demonstrated the girls’ skill and provided a chance for the community to recognize the group’s efforts.
In the past, troop members said, they’ve done a series of other projects, including creating care bags for the homeless and putting together a “Toys for Tots” drive during the holidays.
Troop members include Freyja and Caroline, Megan Curi, Aleyna Vega, Emily Anderson, Shayla Williams, Megan Cremasco, Emma Vincent, and Mackenzie Benedict.
“We feel like... the entire world just needs a bit of brightening,” said Sienkiewicz.