Sparta Girl Scouts Silver Award Project Honors the Life of Bus Driver, Elks Member's Son
May 20, 2022
SPARTA, NJ – Seven members of the Girls Scout Troop 5365 have earned their Silver Award. Rishma Seerttan, Natalie Torres, Brianna Brennan, Juliette Amiel, Paula Aldaz-Pagnacco, Avelina Pena and Leah Geetly have earned the second highest award in Girl Scouting.
“I’m so proud of these girls for earning their Silver Award. Not only for their hard work but also for pushing through the obstacles that the pandemic presented to them,” Girls Scout Leader Sandra Andrade said. “These Girl Scouts knew they wanted to earn their Silver Award so they made it happen. I’m a very proud Girl Scout leader to this group of amazing and resilient Girl Scouts.”
“I first met these girls and Miss Sandy about five years ago at a Sparta Elks Flag Day ceremony at town hall,” Sparta Elks Doreen Middleton said. “Miss Sandy approached me and said she had a group of scouts that wants to help. She was not kidding. I started naming them the ‘go to group’. Whenever the Elks lodge has needed any help, Miss sandy has rallied the troop.”“It’s great to see these young future leaders work together,” Sparta Police Lt. Jeffrey McCarrick said.”It shows their strong values and their commitment to our community. Their efforts make me very proud as some of the young ladies were in the first LEAD [Law Enforcement Against Drugs] class that I taught at Helen Morgan school.”
The ninth grade students’ project was creating a seating area in front of the Sparta Elks Lodge #2356 on the Lake Mohawk Country Club boardwalk honoring the memory of Cody Ulrich, son of a much loved Sparta bus driver and member of the Sparta Elks Julie Ulrich.
The bench and planters were also dedicated to the Sparta Elks and The Center for Prevention and Counseling “for all their work in bringing awareness to drug abuse and drug prevention,” Brennan said.
“Our troop decided on the theme of drug prevention and awareness since a couple of our girls have personal experience when it comes to drug abuse with close family members,” Brennan said. “Substance abuse can also affect many people no matter who they are in many different ways so our troop decided to let our community know that they are not alone and that there is always a solution.”
With money raised through cookie sales, the girls bought plaques, paint and painting supplies. They built and painted the planter and painted a bench donated by their troop leader.
Ulrich helped plant the red tulip bulbs donated by the Center for Prevention and Counseling.
Brennan said the ceremony was held to dedicate the bench and planter to the Elks Lodge and “in honor of Cody… who sadly lost his battle to substance abuse.”
“Mrs. Julie was also the bus driver of the girl scout troop #97771 who helped up plant the tulip bulbs alongside our sister troop #6565,” Brennan said.
Middleton said the girls have been active with the Elks lodge. “They have hosted breakfasts at the lodge to raise money when their leader was in a near fatal car accident,” Middleton said. “They have attended an Elks sponsored Walk-Out on Drugs in Parsippany when I asked. They have worked at the Elks breakfasts when we are in need. As an Elk I felt honored they were willing to do a project honoring the Elks lodge and the work we do for drug awareness.”
While they have earned the silver award, they continue to support the Elks lodge according to Middleton. She said a week after the Silver Award ceremony, the scouts were back at the Elks lodge filling 200 lunch bags with juice and snacks that had been delivered to the Sparta Community Food Pantry as part of a larger summer project with special needs adult group “Peace by Peace New Jersey. The group will be making PBJ sandwiches to be added to the lunch bags.
“These girls have supported newer and younger girl scout troops every time the lodge has a need and truly have set a precedent,” Middleton said. “I have been blessed to watch these girls grow into the amazing young women they are today.”
