Danae Churchill, an ambassador scout of Watchung’s Girl Scout Troop 65624, completed her Girls Scout Gold Award recently. Danae designed a unique project entitled “Straight from the Heart” in which she taught local community members how to make accessories to be donated to teen girls from low income families. Danae’s research had shown that even receiving small items such as accessories would help the teen’s self-esteem. Everybody likes to look fashionable! Plus, in each recipient’s gift bag of accessories were instructions for the teens to learn how to make their own accessories from items such as sweaters and t-shirts. Danae created a Facebook page with tutorials to teach people around the world how they can make these items and donate them to local agencies.
When Danae first conceived of the project, she immediately contacted Cindy Homer, founder of Hearts of Watchung and asked her to be her mentor. Ms. Homer has long matched low-income families with donors for holiday and year-round giving. Danae knew that Ms. Homer would be a good source of information regarding what gifts would work and how to get them to the girls. Ms. Homer used her Hearts of Watchung network to channel Danae’s gift bags to teens that would appreciate the accessories.
With the help of Danae’s fellow troop members, Danae staffed a table at a Watchung fall festival, and held a library program to reach out to community members. People generously donated materials such as t shirts, sweaters, and yarn, as well as their time to hot glue bags, braid head bands, and finger-knit hats.
Danae put together about 22 gift bags each with about three accessories in them. Danae officially finished the project in September 2017 and passed her Girl Scout gold award interview at that time. She held onto the gift bags to deliver them to the Hearts of Watchung annual adopt a family drive in early December 2017.
Danae would like to thank Ms. Homer for her patience and guidance; her fellow Girl Scouts and leaders for their help; the community members that made accessories; and Sharon Orlando, youth services librarian at the Watchung Library for helping her reach out to the community and her family members for their support.
(above l-r) Cindy Homer, Danae Churchill
(above) Watchung Library Program Straight from the Heart (foreground around table, l-r) Abby Langer, Evana Fahmy, Kaelin Churchill, Dana Wasserman, and Giovanna DiSanto; (background, l-r) Abby Watkins, Danae Churchill, and Diana Sarrico.
