By Shannon Sneed
Staff
As 2017 marks the 100th year of Girl Scout cookie sales, Putnam County Daisy Girl Scout Troop 60173, led by Hannah Parham and Holly Lindsey, are celebrating by helping build a home for other children. Based at Gatewood School, the Daisies are partnering with Circle Ranch Inc. by donating a portion of their cookie proceeds to help with the desperate need for children aging out of foster care in the community.
Cookie pre-order began Jan. 13 and to prepare for the big annual event the troop and their parents met with Circle Ranch Founder and Executive Director Jody Sandwick Jan. 10 to learn more about the need of the Ranch and opportunities available for assistance from the community. Sandwick explained to the girls that when they sell the cookies, they can let everyone know that they will be helping to build a ranch for people who dont have a home to live in.
Circle Ranch is a Christian based organization and the Daisies recognized their faith-based mission when Sandwick was explaining the goals of the program Jan. 10. “The children who dont have families find help with God," one little Daisy said.
According to Lindsey, Putnam County is especially needful of the ranch as there are no foster homes in the county.
The Department of Family and Children Services does not have enough options for alternative housing for children who are in need within local communities.
With every box of cookies bought, Girl Scouts are given the ability to experience new adventures that help develop decision making, money management and people skills. It’s up to the scout and her troop to decide where the proceeds will go.
Their options are open to go on an array of fun adventures; whether to their favorite theme park, to the beach, or in the case of these daisies, make a difference in the lives of others right in their own hometown.
The DFCS website reports 700 children age out of the foster care system each year in Georgia alone. The desperate need for placement for children who must be removed from their home prompted the creation of Circle Ranch.
Along with Putnam County, other counties within their primary service area, which is DFCS region five, include Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton.
According to DFCS there are presently 1,000 children from region five in foster care; and, in the last few years the region has lost over 43 percent of its foster homes.
Region five has only one private facility housing 13 children. About 39 percent of the children who are removed from their home must be transported to facilities on the other side of the state where there is a vacancy.
To help raise money for Daisy Troop 60173 and Circle Ranch you can purchase cookies from a Girl Scout you know or buy some from the Daisies from 2:45-3:30 p.m. Feb. 10 and 13 at Gatewood School on the parking field in front of the main entrance.
Circle Ranch is presently in the funding stage to build the ranch and has begun a land search within their primary region that would be suitable for the home. Anyone interested in partnering with the organization can contact circleranch@windsteam.net.
THE EATONTON MESSENGERDaisies'cookie sales to help foster kid
PO Box 4027
Eatonton, GA 31024
PH: (706) 485-3501
FAX: (706) 485-4166