Serving Up Kindness
April 2024
Amidst the whirl of cookie sales, Girl Scouts from Troop 1290 recently embarked on a different kind of culinary adventure: cooking up compassion and nourishment for those in need.
All eleven Brownies from the Topsham troop helped to purchase, prep, and cook a delicious warm meal for those at the Tedford Homeless Shelter in Brunswick at the end of April.
“The girls decided early on in our year that they wanted to work on completing the Snack badge and the Helping Hands patch. The church where we hold our meetings cooks a meal for the shelter every fourth Monday of the month, and when the leader suggested we do that, it was a unanimous decision,” says Troop Leader Hannah Flanagan.
After agreeing on the community service project, the troop came up with a menu sure to satisfy anyone’s hunger: vegetable lentil soup, homemade spaghetti and meatballs, garlic knots, and of course…what’s dinner without dessert? Brownies and an ice cream sandwich cake! To make the meal even more special, everything came from old family recipes, truly making it a home-cooked supper.
“If you asked our girls, they’d say their favorite part was the extra ice cream sandwiches left over. But they did enjoy peeling potatoes and carrots, chopping, stirring, and mixing the soup,” says Hannah.
Not only did the troop walk away from the experience with newfound compassion for others, but they also learned a lesson in kitchen safety.
“We had a father come and talk to us first about being aware of your surroundings in the kitchen, such as the stove, sharp knives, slippery floors, etc.” says Hannah.
“They worked so hard selling cookies to raise money, and they really showed up in the kitchen to execute. Every year, they amaze me, and I’m so thankful I get to be one of their leaders,” says Hannah.
