Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Carly Dorsheimer of Lake View, NY, as a 2021 Gold Award Girl Scout. Carly is from Troop 30412 and has been a member of Girl Scouts for 11 years.

What Carly said about Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts has given me confidence and allowed me to make a difference in other people’s lives.

Project: Free Little Libraries

I chose my Gold Award project to help with literacy but also to connect with people during the pandemic. I wanted people of all ages to have books to learn, grow, and be entertained.

I created, built, and painted the free little libraries and did a book drive to collect materials for them. Over 200 books were donated, which shows a big community interest in the little libraries.

During my Gold Award project, I learned that I am capable of building projects and managing my time. I was also able to give people the gift of reading.

I put libraries in Evans, Dunkirk, and Lake View, working with families in neighborhoods. I was able to provide reading material and entertainment/knowledge to the people of all ages in the communities.

About the Gold Award

The Gold Award project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into “going for the Gold.” A Girl Scout’s project should be something that a girl can be passionate about—in thought, deed, and action that encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. The project should also fulfill a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global) and create change that has the potential to be on-going or sustainable. Approximately 80 hours of community service are involved in the project. Completion of the Gold Award also qualifies the Girl Scout for special scholarship opportunities and she can enlist in the military at a higher starting pay grade.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the most prestigious award in the world for girls, acknowledges the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers.

The Gold Award requires a Girl Scout to identify an issue and investigate it to understand what can be done to address the problem. The girl then forms a team to act as a support system, including a project advisor close to the issue who is not a troop leader or family member, while she leads the project. The Girl Scout creates a plan to ensure they know what steps they must tackle while working on the project. The Girl Scout submits a proposal for her project to her local Girl Scout council. After acceptance, the girl begins to work through the steps of their plan utilizing the assistance of her support team where necessary. Lastly, the project is used to educate and inspire others about the cause they are addressing.

For more information on the Gold Award, click here.