Girl Scout Troop Earns Bronze Award by Building a Little Free Library
Collaborates with Prince William SPCA and Manassas City Animal Adoption Center on the project
December 19, 2023 – Manassas, Va. – Following in the footsteps of scouts before them, Junior Girl Scout Troop 80132 installed a new Little Free Library at the Manassas City Animal Adoption Center. The Junior Troop from Lake Ridge, VA, installed the library to earn their Bronze Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout Junior can achieve. Each girl worked at least 20 hours on the project by collecting books, organizing a pet food drive, and coordinating the installation. The girls love animals and wanted to share that passion through the library and animal-themed books. The scouts partnered with the Prince William SPCA, which funded the $900 project.
The new library is constructed from eco-friendly plastic lumber made out of recycled milk jugs, which means it is expected to last decades. It has a glass door, double-shelves and a dog treat box, perfect for hungry pups passing by. The scouts filled the library to the top with books before they left. The Prince William SPCA donated 12 new books including crowd favorites like Dewey the Library Cat, A Home for Dakota, Buddy Unchained, and Maggie’s Second Chance.
The previous library was installed in 2016 by Girl Scout Troop 1917, which also did the project with the Prince William SPCA as part of their Bronze Award. Due to normal wear and the elements, the library was damaged over the years and not able to be fixed. “We were saddened to learn that the old library was gone, but very excited to work with a new troop to replace it,” says Prince William SPCA President Melissa Korzuch. She continued, “The Adoption Center staff asked for a replacement and, after a call for help, Troop 80132 stepped up to volunteer. Girl Scouts have proven to be some of the most ardent animal lovers and this project reflects that compassion.” She explained why the little libraries are important, “Books about animals teach children empathy, which can go a long way in battling so many challenges students face every day. Children who care about animals will also care about their fellow classmates, adults, and other people in the community. Anything the Prince William SPCA can do to foster this compassion is a win-win for the children and our community as a whole.”
When asked why they chose this project, the girls and leaders said, “To unleash compassion and literacy! We worked with the Lake Ridge community who supported our Girl Scout Bronze Award project by donating books and animal supplies.” They added that they were excited to be “Empowering communities, one paw print and page at a time.” The following girls make up Troop 80132: Avery D., Avianna D., Daniella B., Elcee C., Elliana M., Julianna G., Luciana C., Lucy D. and Olivia G.
The Manassas City Animal Adoption Center is located at 10039 Dean Drive, Manassas, VA 20110. The library was installed in early December and is open for business 24/7. Visitors are encouraged to take an animal book home or leave an unwanted book there to share with others.
The Prince William SPCA is also the Steward of 20 other Little Free Libraries located at Prince William County Elementary Schools and Benton Middle School. Little Free Libraries provide an opportunity to share books about empathy, compassion, and cooperation. While the scope of books at the new library will not be limited to animal themes, the Prince William SPCA will work to make sure there is a selection of animal books available.
Funding for the Little Free Library donation is made possible by the Prince William SPCA, which supports projects that focus on young animal lovers who are under 18 years of age. The Prince William SPCA sponsors 13,000 copies of KIND News magazine which is distributed annually in local schools. The magazine, which is available free of charge in K-6 classrooms, teaches empathy and encourages reading. The Prince William SPCA has also sponsored scholarships, an essay contest, scout programs and other educational programs geared toward youth.
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About the Prince William SPCA
The Prince William SPCA is an all-volunteer organization established to benefit the animals of the greater Prince William County, Virginia, area. The organization is dedicated to protecting domestic animals from cruelty, neglect, and abandonment, and stopping the unnecessary overpopulation of companion animals. Donations are tax-deductible and may be mailed to: PWSPCA, PO Box 6631, Woodbridge, VA 22195. To learn more, visit www.pwspca.org.
About Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts founder Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia. Scouting makes her vision a reality by helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Girl Scouts is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing. To learn more, visit www.girlscouts.org.
About the Little Free Libraries
The Little Free Library nonprofit organization has been honored by the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation, and the American Library Association. Reader’s Digest named them one of the “50 Surprising Things We Love about America.” Each year, nearly 10 million books are shared in Little Free Libraries. To learn more, please visit www.littlefreelibrary.org.