Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Hallee Mack of Niagara Falls, NY, as a 2021 Gold Award Girl Scout. Hallee is from Troop 70065 and has been a member of Girl Scouts for 11 years.

What Hallee said about Girl Scouts

Girl Scouting has made a difference in my life by exposing me to so many different people and experiences. Without Girl Scouts I do not think that I would be the woman I am today. Girl Scouts has shown me a sense of unity that I have never seen before. Being a Girl Scout camp counselor has made me more compassionate and I have a stronger connection with Girl Scouts as a whole.

Project: Range Safety Education

My Gold Award Project was to provide safety signs for the archery, rifle, and hatchet range that the Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) council was building at Camp Timbercrest in Randolph, NY.

I asked for donations from my local small businesses to help fund the signs that me and GSWNY staff member Karen Lungard created. My local sponsors were William C. Rott and Sons, Mark Cerrone Inc., Elastomers Inc., The Eagles Lodge, and Rowling Containers. After these businesses gave their generous donations, I went on to work with Buffalo Sign Makers who helped create our ideas and were able to add the Girl Scout logo onto my safety signs.

I chose this project because after reading an article about a little boy accidently shooting his brother due to the lack of gun safety, this really ignited an idea that safety of firearms should be taught more often. My projects purpose is to educate adults and children about how important safety is, especially when it comes to firearms, archery, and hatchet throwing. This project ensures that anyone using the range on the Timbercrest property has to read all the rules before using it safely.

Throughout this Gold Award I had to read through different firearm safety rules, along with hatchet and archery rules to make sure all information was put on my signs. I also made a brochure on how to ensure firearm safety at home. Lastly, I made sure to contact both Karen Lundgard and Buffalo Sign Maker and make sure that all of the rules from GSWNY were met throughout the whole project. I even visited Camp Timbercrest a number of times to make sure that all the work of the shooting range was going smoothly and that I could display my signs.

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.