Ginger Riddle of Girl Scout Troop 30212 in Buncombe County has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for a community leadership and service project that addresses proper storage and care for livestock feed.
Aiming to impact a national issue in the agricultural community of providing clean, non-contaminated feed, the Girl Scout Ambassador partnered with Charles D. Owen High School’s chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) for her Gold Award project, “Halos for Hay,” to construct elevated livestock feed storage containers for hay bales to be properly stored and cared for inside of a barn.
“Clean feed is imperative to livestock health and to the overall health of the barn,” said Riddle, a Girl Scout of 12 years. “The elevated livestock feed storage container protects the hay from ground moisture, water contamination, feathers, other animal feces, cross contamination of used stall hay and feed bag spillage.”
Ginger led a team of volunteers to build two elevated livestock feed storage containers to improve the cleanliness of the barn and the health of the animals. They even feature a collection container for the hale bay strings that are often left behind on the floor of the barn so they can be recycled and reduce livestock health issues. One of the storage containers was installed at the high school’s barn, the Tim Pasour Agriculture Facility, and the other was donated to a local farmer.
Girls in high school can earn the Girl Scout Gold Award by creating sustainable change on a community or world issue. They address the root cause of a problem, plan and implement innovative solutions to drive change and lead a team of people to success. Each Girl Scout must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out their project that benefits the community and has a long-lasting impact.
Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they are the leaders our community and world need, and those from the Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont (GSCP2P) council have created community gardens, addressed issues in foster care, combated bullying in schools and so much more.
This Gold Award is sustained past Ginger’s involvement as she created a website and QR code that teaches visitors about the importance of clean hay storage and how to build elevated livestock feed storage containers. The Girl Scout said, “I have shown the agricultural community the importance of having proper feed storage for non-contaminated food” as she has spread awareness among local farmers and connected with the national FFA community.
Thousands of Girl Scouts across the country earn the Girl Scout Gold Award each year, which first began in 1916 as the Golden Eaglet. Earning the Gold Award opens doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college and amazing career opportunities. In 2024, 40 GSCP2P Girl Scouts earned their Gold Award.
To learn more about earning a Girl Scout Gold Award, visit https://www.girlscoutsp2p.org/en/members/for-girl-scouts/badges-journeys-awards/highest-awards/gold-award.html.
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