Two teens work toward Girl Scouting’s highest honor

‘‘I have done a lot of service work in the past at area shelters, and I find the people very interesting,” she said. ‘‘Sometimes it can be a little intimidating, but there is a need for it, and it seems like a good way to help out.”

The Gold Award is Girl Scouting’s highest honor.

Krotchko created a brochure for the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless and then solicited the help of family, friends and fellow troop members to prepare 25 casseroles of basked ziti to chare with homeless men.

On Feb. 10, she served the casseroles to 150 men at the Emergency Men’s Shelter in Rockville, which is a part of the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless.

‘‘It was fun to make the casseroles, and I always enjoy talking with the men at the shelters,” she said. ‘‘One man told me he had a complaint — that the food was too good.”

She said that the project involved earning prerequisite badges, researching and writing a proposal, following safety procedures and getting the necessary approvals.

Krotchko, a Sherwood student and member of Troop 1106, will receive her Gold Award in May.

A Silver Spring teenager learned that she could make a difference in the lives of others while working toward her Gold Award.

Virginia Long, 17, a student at The Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington and a member of Girl Scout Troop 2777, collected more than 1,000 new undergarments to be distributed through the Interfaith Clothing Center in Rockville, a program of Community Ministry of Montgomery County. She also organized a Fun Fair for its clients.

Long was volunteering at the Interfaith Clothing Center when she realized that while it was generous of the community to provide gently used clothing to the poor, it would be wonderful to collect donations of new clothing, particularly underwear.

She solicited friends, church members and businesses, who graciously donated new undergarments, she said.

‘‘The response was overwhelming,” she said.

Long then decided to culminate the effort in an event where businesses could donate prizes to Interfaith Clothing Center clients and the children could enjoy an afternoon of fun.

She arranged for the donation of a moonbounce and organized games for the children at the Fun Fair, held last fall.

‘‘I saw happiness in the faces of the children and adults that attended the fair,” she said. ‘‘Not only had I received over 1,000 pairs of new underwear for the [Interfaith Clothing Center] clients, but I had also provided lots of fun and entertainment for both the children and adults.”

Long said she was touched by the excitement of the children as they played games, won tickets and retrieved their prizes, and also by their parents, who walked away with items they might not otherwise have had.

‘‘As I distributed the many gift baskets and gift certificates to the adults who were so very grateful, I realized I could make a difference in someone’s life,” she said. ‘‘I think it impacted everyone — the people who attended the fair, and the people that helped me with it.”

Long will also earn her Gold Award in May.