Service Opportunities in Your Community
Operation Happy Sock
Operation Happy Sock creates and delivers catnip toys to homeless cats in animal shelters and foster homes. Volunteers make simple toys, called "Happy Socks," by stuffing catnip and polyester fiberfill in the toe of a sock and tying a knot at the ankle. Simple, but a GREAT catnip toy! Happy Sock catnip toys are more than mere playthings, however. For stressed-out cats stuck in strange surroundings, a whiff of catnip can be very therapeutic, and a big, fluffy Happy Sock is the feline equivalent of a cuddly teddy bear. Ready to start Operation Happy Sock with your Girl Scout Troop? Then please contact Martha Powers at happysock@cox.net or 703/383-9003 and ask for your “Operation Happy Sock Info Kit.” You’ll receive a Word document that includes ready-to-use signs for collecting sock donations (featuring “Hugger” the Happy Sock mascot), suggestions for finding affordable supplies locally, and step-by-step instructions for each phase of the project. Operation Happy Sock™ is a nonprofit project with no official affiliation to any other animal charity or organization. We always welcome sock donations and volunteer help. No one affiliated with Operation Happy Sock is paid for their work, and materials (catnip and polyfill) are paid for by individual project leaders. Raw materials for producing 100 or more Happy Socks cost about $17.
The Baby Shop
The Baby Shop in Clark County, IN is a non-profit organization serves needy mothers in both Clark and Floyd Counties. It provides infant and toddler items such as diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, grooming products, and newborn packages to low-income families and strives to make its families feel comfortable and unashamed when in need of assistance. The Baby Shop was founded in July 2002 and desperately needs donated items. The biggest need is diapers size 2, 3 and 4 and baby food. For more details, contact Cyn Campbell, Co-Director, The Baby Shop, 1280 Morrow Street, Charlestown, IN 47111, (812)256-7989. You can also reach Cyn at home, (812)256-6261 or by email at cynz11@yahoo.org. (Girl Scouts, please remember, troops cannot collect money in the name of another organization or group. However, a troop can choose to donate a portion of their troop fund to other organizations, as long as it was raised originally for their troop. If you have any questions about fundraising, please contact the council office, 888-771-5170.)
The Animal Care Society
The Animal Care Society in Louisville always needs donations of items. The wish list includes the following: Polaroid 600 film, 20 lb paper (white, light pink, light blue), 8 1/2" x 11" or legal pad paper, stamps, bleach, Pine Sol, anti-bacterial dish soap and hand soap, hand sanitizer, laundry soap, paper towels, toilet paper, tall kitchen garbage bags (30 gal.), 50-55 gallon trash bags, disposable vinyl gloves (one size fits all or large), kitty litter (scoopable or clay), Feline Science Diet/Iams Kitten Dry Food, Feline Science Diet/Iams Adult Dry Food, cat/kitten toys, Canine Science Diet/Iams Puppy Dry Food, Canine Science Diet/Iams Adult Dry Food, dog treats, dog toys, and gently used blankets, towels, bath mats, and small rugs. ACS also would be happy to receive your aluminum cans for recycling. For more information, please contact Animal Care Society, 502-426-6303.
Clark County Humane Association
The Clark County Humane Association is in need of volunteers and donations. Volunteers are needed for a variety of jobs, including feeding the cats and dogs, scooping/cleaning litter boxes, walking the dogs, sweeping and mopping the floors, grooming, the playing with the cats and dogs. Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts could complete requirements for the Pets Interest Project by volunteering. The wish list includes bleach, Pine Sol, anti-bacterial dish soap and hand soap, hand sanitizer, laundry soap, paper towels, trash bags, litter boxes, pet carriers, and kitty litter (scoopable or clay). The CCHA also would be happy to receive your aluminum cans for recycling. For more information, please contact Phyllis at 812-285-8703.
One Warm Coat
One Warm Coat offers girls the opportunity to participate in a service project that directly benefits their own community. The girls choose the agency that will receive the coats, plan the collection process, develop community awareness and publicity, and meet the public through their collection efforts. One Warm Coat (OWC) allows girls to customize the project to their own local needs — there is only one requirement — the coats must be passed along free of charge. The goal of OWC is for people to automatically think of donating a coat to a One Warm Coat drive when it is no longer needed. By donating a coat to OWC, the donor will know that men, women and children in need will receive the gift of a warm coat. If your troop is interested in developing a One Warm Coat drive in your community, please visit www.onewarmcoat.org/girl_scouts.htm
Holly's Place
Holly's Place in Lawrenceburg, KY primarily rescues special needs dogs and cats from shelters. They try to bring other rescue groups and individuals together. Holly’s Place also provides foster space and lifetime care for cats and dogs who do not get adopted. One of its primary goals is to take animals from death row at local shelters. Holly's Place needs volunteers and donations! . If interested, please visit www.hollys.org or call (502) 859-5342.
Retire a Worn U.S. Flag
Found a flag that is too worn or tattered to fly? It is extremely important that we all know the appropriate way to dispose of our Old Glory. And remember that old flags make wonderful gifts to local Girl Scout troops since there is a very emotional ceremony to retire a worn flag. The girls understand the honor our flag deserves and they show extreme reverence. (Please note that burning a retired flag is always appropriate. The remainder of this ceremony was created by a troop leader for her troop as a creative way of honoring the retired flag.) View View Ceremony for Retiring a Worn Flag [or Word format]
Support Military Personnel Overseas
Many Girl Scout troops have shown an interest in supporting our military personnel overseas. There are many ways to do this, such as collecting useful items for military individuals, supporting those who serve locally (like firefighters and police), and assisting needy military families. Learn more
Valentines for Troops Program
Valentines for Troops Program operates out of California. The volunteers are hoping to deliver 1,000,000 Valentines to the troops stationed at military bases in February. The Valentines will come from people just like you! They are asking individuals, schools, churches, and businesses around the U.S. to participate by having their students, congregations, and customers write a Valentines message or prayer and mail it to them. Handmade valentines are preferred and can be mailed without envelopes in bulk to California. Visit www.valentinesfortroops.com for guidelines and a mailing address.
Hospice & Palliative Care of Central Kentucky
Hospice & Palliative Care of Central Kentucky needs volunteers to work in the Hospice Shoppe in Elizabethtown. For details call Monica Ruehling, 270-737-6300 or 800-686-9577.
Assisted Living Homes
Assisted Living homes need volunteers to visit elderly residents, play games, do crafts, scrap booking and photo albums, paint fingernails, adopt a grandparent, etc. For details about helping in Elizabethtown, contact Debbie Buerman at Council Oaks Assisted Living 737-3478 or Ali Sinnot at Bluegrass Assisted Living 234-9440.
Bernheim Forest Volunteers
Bernheim Forest needs volunteers to collect seeds, mulch around trees and shrubs, dig up invasive plants and lots of other great projects. Bernheim is working closely with Girl Scouts to connect their programs and volunteer needs with Girl Scout Interest Projects, try-its and badges. For more information, call Barbara Hurt at 502-955-8512.
Royal Family Kids Camp
Royal Family Kids Camp is the only camp in Kentucky that provides a specially-designed experience for abused and neglected children. For ideas on ways girls can help, contact Doug Finlay, 270-360-0633. He is eager to speak to troops.
St. John's Catholic Church Food Drive
St. John's Catholic Church is working with Hispanic families throughout Western Kentucky. Some of these families are in need of food. If your troop would like to collect food to be used to help these families, it will be distributed to the needy families. Sacks of any canned food or dry food (beans, rice, etc.) can be taken to St. John's on Old Hwy 45 going toward Mayfield, and placed in a box at the back of the church. Sacks can also be brought to the Girl Scout office in Paducah. Any food left over will be given to the Paducah Cooperative Ministry for families they are working with who are in need.
Leaders Needed for Girl Scouts on the Move!
Leaders Needed for Girl Scouts on the Move! Small opportunities are often the beginning of great achievements. Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana is looking for trained leaders and volunteers to coordinate and assist in Girl Scout programs for girls that are presently residing in metro area shelters and transitional housing. Meetings are held twice a month at St. Stephen Lifestyle Enrichment Center in Louisville. Looking for fun, excitement and a most rewarding Leadership challenge? Please contact: Deborah Barnes-Byers at (502) 636-0900 ext. 247.
The Haven House
The Haven House is a food and clothing closet in Jeffersonville, IN. The organization collects donations of non-perishable food items, as well as clean used clothing items. If you are interested in making a donation, please drop off your items at 129 East Court (on the corner of Federal in Jeffersonville.) Please call Savanah Croom at 812-284-3373 ext. 100 for more information.
Women for Habitat
Women for Habitat in Louisville is a program designed to unite women through volunteering, altruism, and hard work! Women of the community build houses for Habitat families, and the fund-raising, supplies, building, hospitality, etc., will all be completed by women and/or women-owned companies. You can become involved in this project in many ways: organize a group of women from your work, community group, campus group, department or faith group and contact Habitat to see what projects are in the works; donate building materials, a professional skill, or hospitality to the project; or help plan the project. For further information or to sign up your group, contact Diane Kirkpatrick or Karen Hufnagel at 502-560-2725.
Coupon Clipping for Military Families Overseas
Coupon Clipping for Military Families Overseas is a great service project program that all ages can participate in. You clip coupons, organize them, and send them to the Headquarters. They will send the coupons out to US bases overseas. This really helps low-income service families. Their website is members.aol.com/~beckythane/OCP.html and the specific participation info is under OCP FAQs.
Stamp Collecting Materials
Stamp Collecting Materials are being collected by many groups to encourage youth to become more interested in this fun and interesting hobby. Visit www.eclipse.net/~skitchen/webpages/stamps/charities.html to see a list of groups accepting collected materials. This would make a great service project for Brownies and Juniors.
National Chain of Hope
National Chain of Hope - A sister Girl Scout in Portsmouth, OH is working on a wonderful project connected to The Cello Cries On, an international youth organization working to build a Peace and Harmony Statue to present to the youth of Bosnia. The statue will be in remembrance of the 1992 breadline massacre in Sarajevo. A group of young people from around the world will travel with the statue, present it to the youth of Bosnia, and an international youth summit will be held to determine what the youth of Bosnia need. The statue will be very expensive to create, but some of the money has been raised from the "Chain of Hope," a chain made of paper links, each link sold for $1.00 each. This Girl Scout hopes to connect all of the paper chains and stretch the chain across the United States. She needs help getting the word out about the chain so that the chain will be long enough to stretch across the U.S. and the necessary funds will be raised for the statue. If you would like more info on the statue project, visit the Cello Cries On website (a non-profit organization) at members.sigecom.net/jdc and click on The Bosnia Statue Project link. For more info on the "Chain of Hope," including how to create it and make it a service learning project for your Girl Scout troops, schools, community centers, youth groups, after-school programs, etc., please email hugs@zoomnet.net
Ohio River Water Quality Volunteers Needed
Looking for a way to get closer to nature? The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission is looking for volunteers to be involved in monitoring and protecting the environmental quality of the Ohio River and its tributaries. For more information, contact Jeanne Ison at 800-359-3977 or email Elizabeth Thornton at thornton@orsanco.org
Afghans for Angels
Afghans for Angels - Afghans For Angels is an organization of volunteers who make and deliver baby blankets of various sizes to local area hospitals. These blankets are used by the hospitals in the NICU and labor and delivery wards in the event of infant deaths through miscarriage, stillbirth or other form of infant death. The blankets are wrapped around infants who have passed away during the time in which their families must say very painful hellos and goodbyes and then the parents are given the blanket to keep. Currently, there is not a Kentucky/Indiana chapter of Afghans for Angels, but troops can still create blankets and mail them to other chapters. Anyone interested in starting a chapter for Kentuckiana or making blankets for other chapters should contact Ruth Thill, coordinator, P.O. Box 52, Britt, Iowa 50423-0052.
Recall Roundup
Recall Roundup - Once again GSUSA is teaming up with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to alert consumers to the potential dangers of recalled products that exist in the home. Many times products are recalled years after they were sold, so people don’t realize that they have a life-threatening hazard in their homes. Girl Scout troops can run Recall Roundups all year long. This could be a community service project, part of the Junior Girl Scout Badge "Safety Sense," or part of the Interest Project Awards "Emergency Preparedness," "Leadership," or "Child Care." It could also be the basis of a Girl Scout Silver or Gold Award Project. If your troop is interested in participating in this project, they can get the list of the products being recalled as well as other types of support by getting in touch with Charlene Roundtree at 216-321-5300 or croundtree@cpsc.gov . Get started on the project right away so Girl Scouts in our community can help make "Home Sweet Home" into "Home SAFE Home!"
Clothes Closet in Paducah
Clothes Closet in Paducah - RSVP is a senior citizen group in Paducah. They are looking for a group to help organize their clothes closet. People are needed to hang the clothes on hangers, put like sizes together, etc. For more information, please call 270-442-8993 or Guelda Wooldridge at 270-443-8579.
Visit Senior Citizens in Paducah
Visit Senior Citizens in Paducah - The Paragon, behind Lowe's in Paducah, is an assisted living facility asking for troops to come and visit the residents. Girls are invited to sing, visit, bring pets, entertain, etc. To schedule a visit, contact Anita Harned at 270-442-3999.