By Rebecca Babb
The Gold Award for Girl Scouts is the highest honor one can achieve in the organization. For my Gold Award, I focused on raising awareness about the proper retirement of American flags. I was inspired to take on this issue after noticing that many people don’t know how to respectfully retire a flag or simply don’t have access to a convenient drop-off location.
To address this problem, I created a flag collection box to ensure flags are retired with the honor they deserve. The box is located behind the bathrooms at Veterans Memorial Park, near the Girl Scout building.
Throughout this project, I gained invaluable experience in project management, community outreach, and problem-solving. The most challenging part was figuring out how to secure the box to the concrete. I also learned how to secure donations by discussing the project with many community members.
This journey taught me how to take initiative and transform it into a tangible solution. More importantly, I witnessed firsthand how a simple idea can bring people together. The experience has reinforced my passion for leadership and making a lasting impact.
I’m grateful for the support I’ve received along the way and hope my project continues to serve the community for years to come.
