Two Barton County residents have been recognized with special awards from Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland for their extraordinary service as volunteers.
Dana Morse of Great Bend and Heather Depperschmidt of Hoisington, who both serve Girl Scout Service Unit 111, received the Volunteer of Excellence Award for displaying excellent service in delivering the Girl Scout mission while working directly with girls in a troop, camp or activity.
“When I think about the impact Girl Scouting has on girls,” Morse comes to mind, her nominator said. Within a couple weeks of training to become a leader for Troop 11142, Morse planned an overnight trip for the girls to attend Disney on Ice in Wichita, including organizing a fundraiser so the girls could take a special trip together. Since then, she’s enjoyed helping girls give back to their community, earn badges, and attend numerous Girl Scout events. Although Morse doesn’t have a daughter in Scouting, she calls all the girls in her troop “my girls,” her nominator said.
Depperschmidt leads Troop 11126, a multi-level Girl Scout troop in Hoisington. The troop has participated in parades with Service Unit 111 and had fun hosting a Halloween party. According to her nominator, Depperschmidt is quick to share event information with girls and parents, and is appreciated for all of her efforts “to keep Girl Scouts alive and well in the city of Hoisington!”
Liz Workman, CEO of Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland, commended Morse, Depperschmidt and all Girl Scout volunteers for encouraging girls to raise their hands, to take action, and to make a difference in their community.
“Our dedicated volunteers prepare girls to lead successful lives and are key to our mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place,” Workman said.
Girl Scout volunteers help girls develop skills and confidence that last a lifetime. To learn more about Girl Scouts and how you can help make a difference in the lives of local girls, go to kansasgirlscouts.org, email info@gskh.org or call 888-686-MINT (6468).