I am the leader of a Girl Scout troop made up of 8 fourth grade girls. Every year they are allowed to choose a "reward day" activity with part of the money they earn from cookie sales (the rest goes toward all the troop's activities, crafts and so forth, throughout the year) - this year they had chosen a "Spa Day" with mani/pedis and such.

Over the weekend, the home of a local woman burned to the ground. It was a complete loss and there was no insurance. Barbara Dolan, the lady whose home this was, is the great grandmother of one of the girls in the troop. At our bi-monthly troop meeting on Monday night (2/23) the girls heard about the fire and THEY decided, unanimously, to forgo their Spa Day and give that $300 to Mrs Dolan. Our troop was able to put together an additional $200 in donations, and we all went to the home of Mrs. Dolan's granddaughter and the girls presented her with a handmade card and $500 in donations.

Our troop - both girls and moms - is like a family. Most of these girls (and moms) have been together since kindergarten, and we are very close. That night we moms were all extremely proud, and so of course we all posted to facebook about what the girls had done. :) A facebook friend of one of the moms contacted a local news station and on Tuesday 2/24 the station contacted one of the assistant leaders (our “Cookie Mom”) and arranged to have our troop come in for an interview. (Incidentally, 2/24 was my birthday and what a fantastic birthday it was with this event!!)

We were extremely honored and humbled by Bonnie Wright’s (granddaughter of Mrs. Dolan, seen in the newscast) actions – she called something like 8 or 9 day spas until she found one that was willing to donate a spa day to our girls, and then completely blindsided us with that at the news station. We are also extremely humbled and grateful for the donation OF the “Spa Day” made by Fab Kid Spa Party Boutique in Vandalia, Ohio. There are some truly kind people in this world.

My biggest hope is that by spreading the story of our girls we will be able to raise more funds for Barbara Dolan. There was no insurance on her home, and while she is currently in a nursing facility recovering from a back injury, when she is released she will have no place to go. We want to help remedy that situation!

Thank you so very much for your interest. I am very proud of my girls 

http://wdtn.com/2015/02/24/woman-who-lost-home-gets-a-special-gift/

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/girl-scouts-give-cookie-revenues-to-75-year-old-woman-who-lost-everything/