This post was submitted by Troop 30288 to GSWNY

The newly formed St. Gregory the Great Schools- Daisy Troop 30288, took on their first community service project. It was to “collect baby items” for babies that are in need. This project also held a very special place for one of the troop mothers, Richelle Recckio Weber, whom was part of the St. Gianna Molla programs inception when she was in high school.

The Daisies had a plan to place a used pack n play in the St. Gregory the Great Church Vestibule so that the community had a central drop location. The Troop Co-Leaders assisted with marketing of the project and offered to “pick up” donations. The troop also spent 12+ hours collectively handing out flyers as well as assisting with drop offs during specified days at the Masses. Each week during the drive, which began in November, the pack n play was unloaded and over 10 hours collectively were spent sorting the items to help the center, which are currently experiencing volunteer crunches.

The school’s other Girls Scout troops also joined forces and some even assisted with the handing of flyers, creation of the bags, and collections. One troop even completely filled all their troops bags with very important baby necessities and a new outfit in each bag.

 On the final day of collection, December 7, 2021, the troop loaded up all the items and took the trip to the center, to learn about this special organization and what they do. The response and generosity of the community well exceeded the troop’s initial goals and we were fortunate enough to get the support from another organization to loan us their moving truck to transport all the collected items to the center. This also couldn’t have been accomplished with out the families of each of the girls in the troop- the parents were so supportive of this project.

At the completion of the project, the troops were able to provide to the center the following, generous donations:

• 250+ Boxes and Packs of NEW diapers and wipes were collected
• Over 300+ NEW NB-3T outfits, sleepers and blankets were collected
• Over 75+ New Bottles and Bottle Accessories were collected
• 56 “Hand Designed” Diaper Bags were created/made and stuffed with a pack of wipes and lotion/bath wash for all of the St. Gregory The Great Schools- Girl Scout Troops.
• 35+ boxes of “gently loved” clothing items were inspected, sorted and boxed
• 8 “gently loved” bumbo seats
• 7 Large Boxes of “gently loved” Toys
• 4 Boxes of “gently loved” Books
• 3 Boxes of NEW Bath Wash/Lotions and a Basket of Diaper Cream, Binkies, Powder…
• … and many more miscellaneous items, such as NEW and used room décor, bedding and crib sheets, pack n plays, and more.

The Daisy Troop, consisting of girls ages 5 and 6, also elected to forgo have a gift exchange at their Christmas Party and instead “each girl and her family, selected a gift or two” for a family of 6 in need, that was also from the St. Gianna Molla Center.

This project was one that the girls will certainly never forget and look forward to growing in the upcoming year. The girls will be goal setting and program planning in an upcoming meeting to make this an annual, on-going collection drive for their troop. I

f you have donations or interest in supporting Troop 30288’s 2022- St. Gianna Molla Project, please reach out to Troop Leaders: Richelle Weber at 716.998.9777 or Cheryl Burgio 716.799.9238. Donations can also be sent/or dropped off at St. Greg’s Parish Office, 150 St. Gregory Court, Williamsville, NY 14221. Attn: Troop 30288/St. Gianna

A note from one Troop Mom “M and my older daughter A, (also a brownie), each picked out a present for the babies. M was excited to share one her favorite books and a stuffy and A wanted to make sure the baby had diapers. The girls pooled together a few dollars from their piggy banks and wanted to share it with the babies, too”.

These young ladies and others have blessed so many… Thank you to all who contributed.  

                      “For it is in giving that we receive” – Francis of Assisi