Jackson Scouts earn Gold Award

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, recognizes the leadership, effort and impact that girls between the ages of 14 and 18 have on their communities.

Only about 5 percent of eligible girls take the rigorous path toward earning this award, but those who complete the journey change their lives and those around them in significant ways.

In the past year, 27 girls in Mon-mouth and Ocean counties earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, including Chelsea Baumann of Jackson, Abigail Mae Chek of Jackson, Lori DeLuca of Jackson, and Jessica deRenzy of Jack-son, according to a press release from the Girl Scouts.

Chelsea planned and ran a council-wide Brownie encampment at Amity Acres for her Gold Award Project. The Brownie Girl Scouts earned the Mystery Try-It.

Chelsea researched and wrote a fingerprinting presentation and created a poster board-sized maze for the girls to have paper clip races. During the encampment the girls learned how Morse Code was invented, and made necklaces spelling out their names in Morse Code and sending secret messages to their friends to decode.

Abigail's Gold Award project was "Promoting Parkinson Disease Aware-ness." Abigail spoke to many groups and people of different ages to inform them of the facts about Parkinson's Disease, educating them on not being afraid of people who have this disease by showing them videos, creating interactive projects and making bracelets to remind them of those with the disease.

Abigail also planned a Parkinson group anniversary luncheon/seminar at the Toms River Elks Club where she and two guests spoke to the group. Abigail plans to continue with her crusade on educating people about Parkinson's disease and participate in a group walk in September.

Lori's Gold Award project, working with Jessica, was "Prescription Com-fort." Lori and Jessica completed a number of tasks with the goal of providing comfort to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

Last summer, as part of her Gold Award project, Lori volunteered on the Pediatric Unit at Jersey Shore Univer-sity Medical Center, Neptune. Her experience at the hospital helped her solidify her career goals.

Jessica's Gold Award project, working with Lori, was "Prescription Comfort" to provide comfort to families of terminally ill children by making and serving dinners to them and giving extra care to the hospitalized children. Jessica volunteered in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, where she learned to interact with staff members and patients.

Jessica also got younger troops involved by donating gifts and crafts to the hospital. For example, she worked with Brownie troops making Christmas stockings, filling them with toys collected during a toy drive, and delivering them to the hospital.