Girls, giggles and gourds at senior center

The Carson City Senior Center was overtaken by Girl Scouts during the group’s Gourds and Giggles event last week. Nearly 40 Girl Scouts from the Carson City Service Unit decorated pumpkins and gourds donated by local grocers to be given to Meals on Wheels recipients.

The Service Unit, a part of the Girl Scouts of The Sierra Nevada Council consisting of some 19 active troops made up of more than 170 girls ranging in ages from kindergarten through high school, created the event with the help of Lesli A. Spears, Carson City Service Unit manager, Renee Ashby, CCSU Secretary and Treasurer and Rachel Maiello, Troop 252 leader and Service Unit volunteer.

“The idea was to have the girls create a silly decorated gourd or pumpkin to bring smiles to the senior citizens who frequent the senior center and possibly send the smaller ones to Meals on Wheels participants,” Maiello said. “Additionally, many girls brought toiletry items for donation to our Girl Scout sisters affected by the recent hurricane.”

According to the Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada website, the program helps girls thrive by developing a strong sense of self, displaying positive values, seeking challenges and learning from setbacks, forming and maintaining healthy relationships and learning to identify and solve problems in their communities.

“At Girl Scouts, your girl will prepare for a lifetime of leadership, success, and adventure in a safe, no-limits place designed for and by girls,” Maiello said. “When you think Girl Scouts, you might think cookies, campfires and friendship bracelets. And sure, those things are all part of this exciting, life-altering journey, but there’s so much more to it. Girl Scouts are big thinkers, groundbreakers, and role models. They design robots, start garage bands, and improve their communities — and yes, they sell the best cookies on the planet.”

Courtney Warner, executive director of the Senior Center, said she has been happy to offer the girls space for their meetings.

“We love having service groups here at the center,” she said. “They get a feel for our people and the challenges they face. The girls’ contributions to our homebound seniors will be thoroughly enjoyed.”

Maiello said the Service Unit would like to thank Smith’s, SaveMart and Raley’s for their donations of pumpkins and gourds, and the Senior Center for hosting the Scouts. She also said the Girl Scouts are always forming new troops and girls can join anytime throughout the year.

For more information about the Girl Scouts, visit www.gssn.org. For information on Meals on Wheels Carson City, visit www.carsoncityseniorcenter.org, contact Warner at cwarner@carson.org, or call the Senior Center at (775) 883-0703.