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Three Troop Members Receive Gold Award

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GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: February 4, 2009

PLANT CITY - Since June, three members of a neighborhood troop have received the highest honor possible from the Girl Scouts of America.

Cait-lyn Biggs, Rebecca Kjeer and Marissa Harrer, members of Troop 1178, were recipients of the Gold Award. The three were the only Gold Award winners in the troop's 11-year history, said troop leader Mar Harrer, the mother of Marissa.

"Two of the Gold Award winners Kjeer and Marissa Harrer have been with the troop since it first started," she said.

Kjeer, 19 and Marissa Harrer, 18, are 2008 Plant City High graduates who are in their first year in college.

Biggs, 18, graduated last year from Durant High School and works in Springhead Elementary's after school K-5 program.

Girl Scouts have to complete a community service project to earn a Gold Award.
Biggs and Kjeer, who received their Gold Awards in December, collaborated on the restoration of a pet cemetery in Pinellas County.

Harrer, who received her Gold Award in June, created a tutoring program at Bryan, Knights and Wilson elementary schools as her community service project. Plant City High's National Honor Society has taken over the program, offering after school tutoring three days a week.

"The volunteers help the younger students with their homework assignments, teach them the best way to study and learn. And how to be better all around students," Harrer said.

The Gold Award was "a culmination of a lot of work for all of them," Mar Harrer said. The award is similar in prestige and honor as Eagle Scout in Boy Scouting. Kjeer and Harrer were also recipients of the Girl Scouts' Bronze and Silver awards. Biggs joined the troop about four years ago, giving her enough time to earn badges required for pursue the Gold.

All three of the scouts enjoyed the challenge.

"I felt very accomplished," Harrer said. "Pursuing the Gold Award was very time consuming but worth every minute of it. Scouting, in general, has solidified my morals, inspired me to be a better person and has given me a bright future. I have also made many friends through scouting."
Harrer attends Flagler College in St. Augustine, where she is studying deaf and elementary education.

Kjeer said she got the idea for the restoration of a pet cemetery from the Humane Society in Pinellas. The society owns the cemetery.

"We cleaned the place up. We painted the walls; replaced wooden fencing and rails and made it sparkle," Kjeer said.

Her parents, Lorrie and Todd Kjeer, helped the two Girl Scouts with some financial assistance. The Humane Society is continuing the cemetery's restoration.

Kjeer is studying art at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers.

Mar Harrer said she had a lot of help keeping Troop 1178 busy and on the go since its creation.

"Troop co-leaders Selena Brewster and Cindy Sardin have been very involved in the success of the troop," Harrer said. "Selena was with me for 10 years. Cindy and I joined two troops together six years ago. We have done a lot of camping and field trips with the troop. It's been quite an eventful ride."

Susan Barnes, a spokeswoman for the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, said about 30 to 40 scouts in the eight-county area win Gold Awards each year.

"The award is based on leadership, community service, career planning and personal development." she said. "The Gold Award is a springboard for the girls as they seek continued education, a career, start a family or other responsibilities in life. Scouting, in general, seeks to build courage, confidence and character in all our members."

For information about Girl Scouts, call (813) 281-4475.

The three won their awards in the final year of Troop 1178's operation, at least under its current charter. The troop has ceased to operate because the girls in the troops graduated high school and new ones didn't join. Harrer said the troop number will be retired this year and given to another group sometime in the future.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451.

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