Local Girl Scouts hold annual Spring Showers Toiletry Drive

By Josh Jones
Times Tribune Editor
[email protected] 

TROY — The Girl Scouts of Troy/St. Jacob Service Unit 109 helped those in need on Saturday as they hosted their third annual Spring Showers Toiletry Drive at Tri-Township Park on Saturday. 

According to Girl Scouts Troop 461 Leader (10th Grade Troop) Stacy Sayuk, this drive is similar to Scouting for Food, but instead of collecting provisions, they asked for toiletry donations. Similar to last year, they distributed 800 door hangers with bags to Troy neighborhoods asking for donations on March 9. The donated items were given to Ministries Unlimited to support local families in need. 

“We are a small service unit, but I always think of us as small but mighty, because we have been so fortunate to engage with the community and the community has really responded with this toiletry drive,” Sayuk said. “It really helps to support Ministries Unlimited for the rest of this year. We are so grateful to the community for their robust response.” 

Items collected include shampoo, hand soap, body lotion, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, razors, deodorant and more. 

“All of those things, the pantry is very dependent on to serve those in need,” Sayuk said. 

The purpose of this drive was not only to assist local families, but to celebrate Girl Scout week, which was March 10-16.

“I feel like it is a celebration of who we are and what Girl Scouts represents, which is serving our community,” Sayuk said. “It celebrates the founding of Girl Scouts… We just try to do something to celebrate who we are.” 

Senior Girl Scout Andrea Cocran, a sophomore at Triad High School, said that she has been in Girl Scouts since she was a 9-years-old and has made a lot of friendships as she gave her thoughts on Saturday’s drive. 

“It is really important to do these things, because there are a lot of people in need and it is really nice to see people helping out and donating their time,” Andrea said. “I love being in Girl Scouts, it’s amazing, everyone is nice.” 

Senior Girl Scout Olivia Sayuk, sophomore at Edwardsville High School, said that she started Girl Scouts at 7-8 years old, starting out as a Brownie. 

“I think Girl Scouts has given me a lot of opportunities. It helps me learn more about public speaking, it helps me to know how to better serve the community,” Olivia said. “It just gives you a lot of opportunities you wouldn’t really have in other activities and clubs… I would definitely recommend Girl Scouts for anybody who is interested.”

Sayuk says they have around 30 Girl Scouts helping every year. 

“I think it is really important through Girl Scouts that we instill that sense of service in our girls so that when they get older they will do what we do and serve the community,” Sayuk said, later adding. “Girl Scouts offers a lot of different opportunities including STEM. We have multiple Girl Scout robotics teams from the grade school through the high school level. The high school robotics team, we just went to the state championship. We got second place for robot design and we also have a Girl Scout Cybersecurity team.” 

The service unit will be having a Cardboard Regatta and Swim Party Girl Scout recruitment event from 5:30 to 8 p.m. April 28 at the Korte Rec Center in Highland. The cost is $6 to swim. Those interested are instructed to RSVP via email to [email protected]  by April 5.