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by Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
Medfield's Gabby Connelly would be the first to tell you that being a Girl Scout isn't just about selling treats to people. It's about collecting them for her four-legged friends, too.
Gabby is soliciting donations for the Metrowest Pet Pantry in Millis as part of her Girl Scout Silver Award project. The Silver Award, the second highest honor attainable for a Girl Scout and the highest honor attainable for a Girl Scout Cadette (that is, a Girl Scout between the ages of 11-14), requires a Cadette Journey and 50-hour service project to complete.
The Silver project encourages community awareness and action. It begins when a Girl Scout identifies a specific issue of particular importance to her. She then charts a course and puts her plan into action. For Gabby, the decision to help animals was an easy one.
"There are a lot of animals that need help in the world," says Connelly. "They're my friends and they need a lot of help. Some people need help to take care of them and love them. I find pets loving and cute and want to take them home. They're very special to me."
Gabby is asking for donations of postage stamps, dry cat food, canned cat food, cat and dog treats, flea/tick/sensitive skin shampoo, flea collars and cat litter. Donation boxes are located throughout the Medfield public school system - there are sites at Blake Middle School, Memorial School, Wheelock School, and Pharr Center. All contributions will be graciously accepted until June 1.
"I think it's wonderful to see people actually making a difference in the world," says Gabby. "Making a difference in pets' lives," she adds.
