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MAMARONECK, N.Y. -- One by one, Girl Scout Troop 2056 stepped up to the podium at Town Hall, each reading one sentence from a cue card, collectively announcing to the board their contriubtion to this year's Sept. 11 memorial.
Town Supervisor Valerie O'keeffe noted how poised all the girls were, as they explained how they are adding two benches to the "Girl Scout Rock" Memorial in Memorial Park.
"They went to the site and thought that we should put in two benches on which people can sit and reflect," said Emily Sullivan, leader of Troop 2056. "The name of their project is '9/11: Sit and Reflect'."
The "Girl Scout Rock" Memorial was dedicated by the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Girl Scouts in 2002 and holds two plaques honoring the first responders and victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. One of the twelve members of the Larchmont and Mamaroneck community who lost their lives that day was the father of a girl scout.
"There was a girl in one of the troops whose dad had taken the train that morning and didn't come home that night," said Cathy Bennett, volunteer community chair and treasurer of the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Girl Scouts. "It seemed an appropriate place to put the tribute since the residents left from that platform that day. It's a reminder; you see it when you leave, you see it when you come back off that train."
Troop 2056, which is made up of 12 eighth grade girls who have grown up together in the Girl Scouts, will earn their Silver Award at the completion of the 9/11 ceremony.
After the troop's 10 members pieced their presentation together, O'Keeffe asked one of them to explain what the Silver Award is. Lilly Sullivan, daughter of the troop leader, walked back up to the podium and explained that it is the second-highest award you can earn girl scouting.
In true Girl Scout fashion, they raised money by selling Girl Scout cookies. "Our troop voted to use our cookie money to pay for one of the benches, and the local community donated the other," Sullivan said.
They have also met with town and village officials to get all of the appropriate approvals, as well as their sister troops and volunteers, who they have invited to sing with them at the 9/11 ceremony.
"It demonstrates their organizational skills, their leadership skills and their dedication to the community," Bennett said.
Were you or a family member part of the Girl Scouts? Share your memories of the Girl Scouts, as well as Sept. 11 below in the comment section, or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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