[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E868-E869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 WORCESTER, WESTBOROUGH, STERLING, AND HOLDEN SENIOR GIRL SCOUTS EARN 
                               GOLD AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 7, 1997

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, May 4, I was privileged to be 
present when six young women from the cities of Worcester and Holden, 
MA, received the Gold Award, the highest achievement a girl can earn in 
Girl Scouting. These awards are a demonstration of the high values, 
commitment and goals of these remarkable women. They represent the 
future leaders of our communities and Nation--indeed, I expect that one 
of them will one day serve in the U.S. House of Representatives or the 
U.S. Senate.
  The requirements for earning the Gold Award are rigorous and demand a 
significant commitment of time, effort, and personal initiative. 
Typically a young woman will invest 3 or 4 years of personal 
development, leadership activities, community service, and career 
exploration in preparation for the Gold Award Project. In the Gold 
Award Project, each girl reaches out to serve some segment of the 
community--of her world--in a meaningful and long-lasting way. She must 
develop and execute a special project, at least 4 months in length, 
that is original, challenging, solves a need, incorporates outside 
experts, and can be sustained after she leaves. The project must be 
approved and evaluated for successful completion by the Montachusett 
Girl Scout Council's Gold Award Committee of Worcester, MA. The project 
is truly an express of each girl's creativity and individuality.
  The six young women honored on May 4, 1997, are Angela M. Achorn of 
Westborough, Geralyn Dion of Sterling, Martha Miriam Douty and Margaret 
Aria Felis of Worcester, and Katherine R. Hebert and Patricia Anne 
Owens of Holden.
  For her Gold Award final project, Angels M. Achorn of Westborough 
compiled and distributed a 52-page book, ``Preschools, Daycare, 
Activities and Other Services'' for families of young children in the 
Westborough, Northborough, Marlborough, Hopkinton, Grafton, Shrewsbury, 
and Worcester areas. The book helps families new to the area know what 
programs are available for their children. Two hundred copies have been 
distributed and are available for reference in local libraries.
  Working extensively with the Sterling Historical Commission, Geralyn 
Dion's Gold Award project, ``Historic Sterling,'' included a tour of

[[Page E869]]

Sterling's historical sites for fifth graders studying American 
History, the installation of interpretive signs at eight historical 
sites in town, and the production of a video documentary of these 
sites. Copies of the video have been donated to the Sterling Education 
Association, Houghton and Chocksett Schools, Conant Public Library, 
Clinton Continental Cablevision, the Sterling Historical Commission, 
and other community groups.
  Martha Douty of Worcester developed an activity program called 
Creative Arts for Autistic Children for her Gold Award final project. 
Working with the students and staff at the New England Center for 
Children, she established and conducted a weekly interactive program 
for the residents which the center plans to continue.
  Gold Award recipient Margaret Felis of Worcester organized and 
founded a local chapter of the Maids of Athena, a social and community 
service organization for girls of Hellenic descent. The Saint Spyridon 
Cathedral-based group works to assist the Orthox Food Pantry and to 
support the needy within the Greek-American community in central 
Massachusetts. The group plans to expand their service project to 
include the wider Worcester community.
  For her Gold Award final project, Katherine Hebert of Holden designed 
a training program to revitalize the outdoor skills of older girls, who 
then became mentors to younger girls. She designed and managed an event 
where girls between 5 and 17 years of age learned outdoor skills 
together, increased their ability to live comfortably in the out-of-
doors, and experienced the program possibilities of a local 
conservation area.
  Patricia Anne Owens of Holden chose to address the needs of the 
Holden Recreation Department for nature education resources at Trout 
Brook Park for her Gold Award project. She collected, cataloged, and 
presented to the department a wide range of resources that will be used 
as program ideas and aids for groups using the Trout Brook facility. 
Among the materials she helped to have donated are a microscope, 
ponding equipment, nature guides, and other hands-on equipment and 
materials.
  The Montachusett Girl Scout Council serves over 10,000 girl members 
from the age of 5 through 17 and 2,600 adult members in 61 cities and 
towns in central Massachusetts. They are a member agency of the United 
Way.

                          ____________________