It takes a lot of work to earn the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award, but for 18-year-old Emily Post, her efforts were a labor of love.
Emily, now a freshman at Western Carolina University and member of Girl Scout Troop 40772, wanted to engage in a project that would help children in her hometown of Yadkinville.
“Emily put the word out to her friends at area high schools, mailed post cards, and placed notices in her church bulletin, asking folks to donate bicycles. Within a very short period of time, she had collected more than 40 bikes,” said Emily’s mom, Carolyn.
Emily then set out to repair the donated bicycles and put them in like-new condition. She then asked Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina to distribute the rehabilitated bikes to kids in the area. The Goodwill Retail Store in Mocksville gave Emily space in the parking lot to set up all of her bikes and give them out to local families.
“In this day and age when kids are spending most of their time online and indoors, I wanted to do something that would encourage them to get outdoors and get exercise. I also wanted to make sure that children who otherwise couldn’t afford to buy a bike would be able to receive one,” said Emily.
“The Gold Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador can achieve, and Emily has proven that she is a real leader who deserves it,” said Lane Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont.
The Gold Award recognizes Girl Scouts in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable “Take Action” projects. Recipients must have dedicated a minimum of 80 hours to planning and implementing a project which benefits the community and has long-lasting impact. The first Gold Award was earned in 1916 and was originally called the Golden Eaglet.