The mini-golf course at Groveland Oaks County Park and Campground in Holly has received a facelift after Girl Scout Troop 70945 helped transform the garden beds in September
Girl Scouts Rowan Spear, Megan Spear, Kaylee Henke and Alayna Henke spent the last days of summer cleaning up two garden beds and planting native species that will look great in spring, summer and fall. They also added colorful garden stones they crafted themselves.
“It was fun and tiring because it was hot outside and I got to do it with my friend Rowan, and I got to help the park,” Kaylee Henke said. “This was a great opportunity to help the community.”
Master Gardener Linda Dorsey had already begun the transformation, so when Kaylee reached out to Groveland Oaks at the end of June asking if there were any sustainable park projects that a few of her troop members could work on, the mini-golf course seemed like the perfect fit.
“They pulled the weeds and old growth, laid the landscaping cloth, planted native species and covered the beds with mulch,” Julee Erskine, Assistant Parks Supervisor said. “At home they created stepping stones that are now in both beds. The work the Girl Scouts contributed was a tremendous help to us. We cannot thank them enough!”
Working twice a week, the garden beds took more than five weeks to complete. The project helped the troop members earn the Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest honor for Cadettes, which is for girls in sixth to eighth grades. The Silver Award is presented to those who identified a problem they care about and took action to tackle the challenge. A minimum of 50 work hours was needed to earn the award.