2026 Volunteer Recognitions
Appreciation Pin
Alison Mayer
Helen Crane
Alison is an excellent leader for Troop 5186. She stepped up in 2023 to start the troop of Daisies when the girls were in kindergarten. Since then, the girls are now Brownies, and the troop has grown to have 10 volunteers and 15 girls. They are a very active troop and plan many activities and field trips for the girls to attend. Alison regularly attends Service Unit meetings and gets involved in making Girl Scouts fun and educational for her troop and other troops in the
The Appreciation Pin is given to an adult member who has provided outstanding service to one or more service delivery areas.
Anna O’Connor Dublin
Anna is exceptionally accommodating not out of obligation, but from a genuine desire to serve others. She consistently goes above and beyond for anyone who needs support. At day camp, Anna arrives early and stays late, ensuring every detail is handled and every person feels supported before she leaves. She takes personal responsibility for excellence, and she always leaves things better than she finds them.
rooklyn Burris
gan Valley
ooklyn is the epitome of a Girl Scout. he upholds every part of the Girl Scout aw and Promise. She attends all rvice unit meetings, bringing a ositive attitude and great ideas. She ncourages her troop and other leaders be excited about Girl Scouts and all at it teaches the girls. Brooke has een the Logan Valley Service Unit rvice Coordinator for a few years, and ery year she brings new ideas and eat ways that girls of all ages can give ack and help others.
Catherine Glass Union
Catherine has been a huge part of both of her troops. Her enthusiasm for all things Girl Scouts shows through her dedication to both troops. She thrives on passing on traditions and making sure the girls both learn and have fun at all events. Cat easily travels hundreds of miles to ensure her troops experience events, all over the council!
Crystal Lilley
Wayne County
While Crystal’s daughter’s troop disbanded after graduation nearly a decade ago, Crystal has remained steadfast in her support of the Girl Scout movement. She is a force to be reckoned with, especially at day camp where she has run obstacle courses, pulled minivans from flood waters, and eaten live bugs on MORE THAN ONE occasion. Anything goes for Crystal when it comes to teaching girls how to become strong and capable women. Her confident personality makes her a great role model for Girl Scouts.
Devon Blank Union
Devon sends timely and informative monthly updates of the service unit meetings and activities via email and Facebook, which has increased attendance at meetings and has increased the positive energy at the service unit level. As an event coordinator she assists in obtaining leadership for different activities. Devon has made this impact in addition to her duties in her own troop and a lead position in the Parent Teacher Organization. She has connections and knows how to use them!
Dorothy Booth
Heart of Licking
Dorothy has several qualities that make her a valuable Girl Scout volunteer. She is creative, which allows her to design fun activities for the girls, both in her troop and the service unit. She is detail-oriented, so her activities are organized. She puts so much effort into research, so she comes equipped with scripts, checklists, and forms. She is enthusiastic, which makes her a delight to work with. Add to this that she is willing to share her ideas and her research with anyone, she is an asset to the volunteer collective!
Erin Lall
Granville
Erin is very dedicated to the growth of the Granville Service Unit. She has taken in new girls with open arms on multiple occasions and is always spreading Girl Scout love around the community. Erin is dedicated to the growth of troops in her area and donates lots of materials to new Daisy Girl Scout troops. Her support puts new leaders at ease and shows the strength in the bond that all Granville leaders share.
Holly Crandall
Big Darby
After the longtime service unit cookie booth coordinator stepped back from her role, Holly graciously offered to step in and has become a valuable service unit member, adding new booth locations in the area while maintaining our relationships with existing businesses. She quickly learned the ins and outs of eBudde and other cookie systems and became a resource for new troops doing booth sales for the first time. She’s also volunteered as a unit leader at KJ Oak for several years, all while maintaining her own troop as troop leader and troop cookie program coordinator.
Jeannine Crum
Gregoriades
Coretta King-Schillwind
Jeannine is passionate, dedicated, and optimistic about being a leader. In addition to serving as a troop leader, she also serves as the service unit’s treasurer. Jeannine advocates for opportunities and ways to help her girls do better and to achieve their goals.
Jennifer Yurkovich
Worthington
Jennifer jumped right into being a troop leader when the opportunity presented itself, and today her troop is growing and enjoying their time as Girl Scouts. She keeps her troop well informed by taking care of emails and sending out reminders for different events. Jennifer is well organized and is always available to help without hesitation, especially in her role as a troop cookie program coordinator.
Julee Klima
Westerville
Julee has supported Girl Scouts for over 25 years as both a staff member and as a volunteer. She led her own daughter’s troop and then guided her daughter as an IRM during her high school experience. She participated in service unit meetings and played a huge role in the development of day camp at multiple sites. Even after completing her term as a staff member, she maintained a strong connection with Girl Scouts and steps in to certify volunteers when needed. Julee is passionate, dedicated, and enthusiastic about getting girls outside and feeling confident and strong.
Kathy DePauw
Big Walnut
Even after moving an hour away from her troop’s meeting place, Kathy has gone above and beyond in her duties as a troop leader. She continues to be involved and engaged with all her girls. When Kathy first became a troop leader, it was a commitment she took very seriously. She wanted to be there for the girls as long as they wanted to be a part of Girl Scouts. Now the girls are Seniors and Ambassadors, and she is still their leader! Kathy’s commitment is a wonderful model for her Girl Scouts, to not only show up, but to keep doing it, with joy in your heart, even when it is difficult.
Kristin Hart
Shawnee Trail
All of Kristin’s efforts to support the service unit are of the highest caliber. She develops, test runs, and packages the Bag in a Bag programming that is offered during cookie season. Kristin always has a smile on her face and is constantly looking for ways to engage girls and their parents through different programs and activities. She is willing to help wherever she is needed, even if the task isn’t specific to her role.
Lauren Volpé
Big Darby
After having no one as the service unit fall product coordinator in 2024, Lauren offered to step up and assist— resulting in a year-over-year increase in both girl participation and dollars made in 2025. As soon as she joined the service unit, she and her daughter reached out to troops to team up and collect cookie donations for Buckeye Ranch, and she has continued to share community service opportunities with the service unit. Lauren is always willing to jump in and help when needed and never hesitates to take on new roles!
Melissa Eads Union
Melissa has spent many hours researching and contacting local businesses for cookie booth locations for the past two years. This requires attention to detail and patience in pursuing sites for almost 5 months. This position is in addition to being a troop leader and troop cookie program coordinator. Melissa is patient, detail-oriented, and very enthusiastic about cookies, her troops, and Girl Scouts!
Molly Clairemont
Logan Valley
Molly is an enthusiastic team player with amazing energy. She upholds what a Girl Scout should be and always puts the girls first. For the past few years Molly and her troop have planned, organized, and hosted an amazing Halloween party for their service unit. She is also a dependable camp counselor who encourages girls at camp. Molly promotes confidence and togetherness for everyone throughout the service unit.
Nicole Bostic
Crawford County
Nicole embodies the spirit of Girl Scout leadership through her compassion, reliability, and unwavering commitment to service. She approaches every task, big or small, with genuine enthusiasm and a deep desire to support both girls and volunteers. Her greatest strength is her ability to make others feel capable and supported; she listens without judgment, offers thoughtful guidance, and always follows through on what she promises. Nicole teaches everyone —both girls and adults—how to be better Girl Scouts!
Sara Cotter Hutcheson Northwest
Sara has spent so much time organizing and helping the Girl Scouts in her troop. She plans and directs all of her troop’s badges and activities and always volunteers to chaperone at events. Sara always shows up for the girls and gives everything she does her all, even on challenging days.
Sarah McKean
Helen Crane
Sarah has great enthusiasm for Girl Scouts. She regularly attends the Helen Crane Service Unit meeting and has stepped up to help the service unit cookie program coordinator. Sarah is the service unit cookie booth coordinator and has helped organize sites in the Delaware and Buckeye Valley areas for the cookie program. Her dedication to Girl Scouts ensures that the girls in her troop have the resources to fund their badges, trips, and community service projects.
Sarah Miller Olentangy
Sarah’s commitment to Girl Scouts has led her to co-lead two troops! She hosts monthly meetings and field trips for both of her troops. Sarah also goes out of her way to mentor new leaders and hosts meetings for new troops. Her mentorship has helped those troops have a successful first cookie seasons!
“To be inspired is great, but to be an inspiration is an honor.”
— Juliette Gordon Low
Honor Pin
Allison Moore
Rocky Fork
Allison is very committed to her troop. She has a passion for day camp, especially for the girls of the Sugar Bush Leaders in Action (LiA) Program. She leads her troop in contributing and attending different service unit events and attends service unit meetings regularly. Allison is warm, kind, and loving, and those qualities shine in every interaction she has with others.
Amanda Olson
The Honor Pin recognizes an adult member who has provided outstanding service to two or more service delivery areas.
April Parks
Holmes County
April always makes sure that any girl who wants to participate in a Girl Scout opportunity is given the chance to do so, whether that means providing transportation, securing funding, or sharing resources. Her multi-level troop has experienced exponential growth over the past few years, and she has done a great job welcoming new girls as well as advocating for new volunteers and troops. Holmes County has long been a tough place to recruit new girls and volunteers, but that hasn’t slowed pril down. April is truly a sister to ery Girl Scout!
ritni Kyser lliard
itni is a troop leader, troop fall oduct coordinator, service unit fall oduct coordinator, troop cookie ogram coordinator, and service unit okie program coordinator team ember. She also runs a cookie upboard. Britni is always ready and illing to go above and beyond in elping others!
Brittany Cipolla
Big Walnut
Brittany brings exceptional positivity and enthusiasm to every role she takes on, always uplifting both girls and other volunteers. In addition to leading her Cadette Girl Scout troop for the past seven years, this year Brittany took on the responsibility of leading a brandnew Daisy Girl Scout troop. She has also helped plan and support multiple Service Unit events and manages an ongoing partnership with a local senior living home, creating meaningful intergenerational service opportunities for multiple troops. Brittany always inspires girls through her energy, creativity, and commitment to providing meaningful Girl Scout experiences.
Cheryl King
Wayne County
and inspires you to r best.”
Cheryl’s enthusiasm for creating girls of courage, confidence, and character is contagious. She possesses a vast array of knowledge when it comes to the outdoors and hands-on activities. From setting up obstacle courses at her service unit’s yearly fall outdoor event, to building decorations for the annual Girl Scout Birthday Party, to making sure everything is documented in photos, Cheryl shares her abilities and interests freely. After her retirement from dairy farming last spring, she converted one of her barns into an indoor archery range so that girls have somewhere free to go year-round.
Cynthia Walter
Shawnee Trail
Cynthia has become an active volunteer for the service unit, always willing to step up to support local programming while maintaining her troop. In recent years she has also become a key member of the Day Camp Coordination Team. Her interest in camp led her to become an engaged member of the Adult Camporee Planning Committee. Cynthia shows through personal example that Girl Scouting is more than just a short-term activity for girls and adults, but one that offers the opportunity to continue to learn new things, meet new people and have fun while doing so.
Danielle Lyons
Big Walnut
Danielle has been a steadfast and influential leader within Big Walnut for the past seven years. As a long‑time troop leader, Danielle has guided her girls with consistency, compassion, and a deep commitment to the Girl Scout mission. Her leadership extends far beyond her own troop. Danielle has also played a vital role in strengthening the entire service unit through her willingness to take on additional responsibilities, support multi troop programming, and serve as a trusted voice of reason for volunteers and families alike.
Deb Sigler
Wayne County
Deb’s 45 years of Girl Scout leadership shines in all of her interactions with other volunteers and girls. She supports her 25-girl, 6-level troop in whatever Girl Scout endeavors they want to pursue and is always quick to volunteer to support every girl. Deb has been a consistent presence on the Wooster Day Camp volunteer staff for many years. Whether leading a girl station or supervising the Tot Lot, she arrives early and stays late to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Donna Dravenstott
Wayne County
Donna has led many troops during her 48 years of leadership. She holds the Girl Scout movement close to her heart and enjoys working with the girls and watching them grow. Her Girl Scout knowledge is valuable in planning different events and opportunities for girls in the service unit, like World Thinking Day and the Wooster Service Unit’s Memorial Day observances. Donna has also faithfully served as the service unit fall product coordinator for many years.
Francine Taylor
Northwest
Francine is brave, resilient, flexible, honest, and an amazing leader. She is organized and runs a very robust cookie program for her troop. She is kind and supportive of girls as they become leaders and enjoys sharing her love of hiking and camping with them. Francine has also served as the lead facilitator for her troop’s upcoming trip to Europe this summer!
Kathleen Cox
Olentangy
Kathleen is a cheerleader for Girl Scouts. She has a lot of enthusiasm and is always willing to lend a hand. Kathleen is wildly creative and incredibly generous with her personal funds and time to help support her troop. She goes above and beyond to support the girls’ cookie program so that her troop can earn money to do fun activities. Kathleen gets her creative ideas from various sources to make her troop meetings fun. She also plans lots of field trips for her troop so that they can have new and exciting experiences.
Kathleen Farrell
Rocky Fork
Kathleen embodies the Girl Scout values of leadership, service, inclusivity, and positivity. She consistently approaches every responsibility with enthusiasm and grace. Despite carrying multiple highresponsibility roles, she remains approachable, patient, and supportive to both girls and adults. Kathleen performs all her work with a positive attitude, always with a smile and without complaint. She models resilience, generosity, and servant leadership for the girls she mentors, reinforcing the very character traits Girl Scouts aims to develop.
Lacy Levering
Scenic Hills
Lacy is energetic, enthusiastic, and is always willing to help any girl or adult volunteer. Her positive attitude has made a great impact on her troop and service unit. Lacy loves to come to Camp Beckoning Trails day camp and volunteers in several roles. She makes the week extra fun and exciting for the girls and the other adults. She also serves as the service unit coordinator for both the fall product program and cookie program. Lacy exemplifies and lives the Girl Scout Law in her daily life and truly is a sister to every Girl Scout!
Nicole Snodgrass
Perry County
Nicole became the leader of her troop after the previous leader passed away. Through a myriad of difficulties she has fought hard to keep her troop going. She is caring, determined, and helpful, and always makes sure to communicate important news with her troop. She worked with a local school resource officer to teach the Cyber Security Badge to multiple troops and has coordinated trips to The Wilds for the girls.
Pam Cribbs
Hilliard
Pam is a great role model and always encourages girls to be the best version of themselves. She empowers girls to meet their goals during cookie season and spends 4-12 hours every weekend at cookie booths. Pam also helps each girl come up with a plan to meet their personal selling goals. While at camp, Pam teaches girls how to start fires, set up a tent, and plan and prepare meals. Through her dedication and leadership, Pam has helped her Cadette-level troop grow over the years.
Patricia Nichting Union
Patty is a dedicated Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts. She earned her Girl Scout Gold Award in 1999, was a staff member at Camp Molly Lauman in 2003, previously worked for councils in Nevada and Orange County, and has been an active service unit delegate for the past 8 years. As a troop leader, she has had her troop participate in celebrating veterans that were unable to attend their Honor Flight and donate to Blessings in a Backpack. Patty and her co-leader are currently organizing a trip to attend the 2026 Girl Scout National Convention with two girls.
Sheryl Drewyor Big Walnut
Sheryl has been an extraordinary asset to Girl Scouts throughout her eight years as a dedicated volunteer. Her service has consistently reached far beyond her own troop, strengthening the entire service unit through her leadership, expertise, and unwavering willingness to help wherever she is needed. As she completes her final year as troop leader for Troop 1565, Sheryl leaves behind a legacy of service, generosity, and community impact. Her contributions have touched multiple troops, countless girls, and the entire Big Walnut Service Unit.
Stefanee Berman
Harmony
Stefanee is the leader of a very active Junior Girl Scout troop. Her girls excelled at the cookie program, enabling them to be able to fund their many Girl Scout activities. Stefanee is energetic, enthusiastic, and goal oriented. She is always contributing to the Harmony Service Unit, including hosting a special movie night in her backyard, complete with pizza, fun activities, and a service project making bracelets for breast cancer awareness.
Amy Sayre
Wayne County
Thanks Badge I
The Thanks Badge recognizes an adult member whose performance is truly outstanding and benefits the total council or the entire Girl Scout Movement.
Amy is a kind, optimistic volunteer who believes in and encourages the best in everyone. She is always happy and ready to jump in and help a troop, whether it be helping them get started or bringing opportunities and experiences that the troop volunteers aren’t as comfortable providing. She has been shadowing her service unit manager to help ensure that all the knowledge of the ins and outs are not held with one person and has stepped up to handle many situations based on the knowledge she has gained. Amy is always up for a challenge and is great at teaching the girls that challenges are GOOD things!
Rebecca Humpal Olentangy
One of Becky’s most remarkable qualities is her steady, servanthearted leadership. Whether coordinating leadership meetings before service unit gatherings, organizing cookie communication systems, or launching new engagement events, she anticipates needs before they arise. Becky models what it means to live the Girl Scout Law. She demonstrates respect, responsibility, and communityminded leadership in every role she holds. Becky’s impact is not only seen in successful programs, but in the strengthened leaders and empowered girls who benefit from her dedication.
Brandy McCord Tecumseh
Brandy has served on the Adult Camporee Committee for several years. She stepped up to the plate and took on the broad tasks of managing the event’s schedule and picking classes and facilitators. Brandy is honest with every encounter she has with prospective facilitators. She is considerate of their time, efforts, and feelings. She values them as she wants them to return, either as facilitators, participants, or both. She is approachable all weekend and willing to listen to different suggestions. Brandy sticks to her work with tenacity and will not give up until her job is finished.
Cheryl Dryden Pike
Cheryl has been spreading the news of Girl Scouts for many years. She wants to see each girl go after their dreams and she never stops cheering them on. Cheryl volunteers with the GSOH Program Team to help with all the fun events the council puts on. She will go anywhere to help! She travels to the STEM Center to volunteer at programs like Project Artemis and goes to Camp Crooked Lane to help with Cardboard Boat Regatta, The Mad Mud Challenge, and Fall Festival. She has also volunteered at Zombie Bash, Survival Quest, Halloween Hike, and has helped lead the archery booth at Urban Campout.
Claire Palmer
Olentangy
Claire has an awesome can-do attitude. Whenever she runs into a setback, she finds a way to make things happen. She is a great role model for both the volunteers and the girls, and she can always be counted on to help. At day camp, Claire is always willing to pitch in wherever help is needed, and even hosts an all-camp karaoke sing along on the last day!
Debbie Port Madison County
Debbie has an amazing can-do spirit. She always makes sure everyone is having fun even when there is hard work that needs to be done. Debbie has lived her whole life under the umbrella of Girl Scout values, and she exemplifies the best of what it means to be a Girl Scout. Whenever there is a huge undertaking, Debbie will jump in and make things happen. A few years ago the Cultural Assets Team (CAT) had to plan a functional new space for the GSOH Girl Scout History Collection, anticipating the move into the STEM Center, and Debbie was an integral part of that planning. When it was time for the physical move, Debbie took charge, managing the physical work in incremental stages. She was a driving force in this monumental task.
Heather Hargrove
Whetstone
Heather is always kind, patient, and willing to step up when a fellow Girl Scout volunteer needs help. As a troop leader, she has gone above and beyond for her girls. She always has their best interests in mind and will go the extra mile for all of them. Heather volunteers as the service unit cookie coordinator for two service units and serves as the service unit cookie booth coordinator at Whetstone. At the combined Service Unit Cookie Rally between Westerville, Whetstone, and Worthington, she created amazing decorations, activities, and so many extra touches to give every participant a great experience.
Karen Townsend
Big Darby
As Trefoil I President, Karen took a strong lead in the largest fundraising project the organization has ever done! This resulted in a new workroom in the STEM Center for the GSOH Girl Scouts History Collection. Karen was also instrumental in planning the move of the collection to the new location. She formed a partnership between the Cultural Assets Team (CAT) and Columbus Metropolitan Library, which led to her presenting a Girl Scout History program at two library locations. Karen also initiated a project where the library digitizes items of local Girl Scout history, which will allow online access to the council’s history.
Katherine Dion
Big Darby
Katherine embodies the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law in both action and leadership. She is dependable, knowledgeable, strategic, and deeply service oriented. She leads with humility and competence, creating trust among volunteers, staff, and girls alike. As an inaugural member of the GSOH Volunteer Committee, Katherine has shaped council-level financial literacy programming and large-scale events including cookie rallies and skills-a-thons. She regularly serves as an outdoor facilitator, directly impacting girls’ access to high-quality outdoor experiences.
Kathryn “Katie” Coplin Northwest
Katie has an amazing desire and ability to see and respect everyone. She sees the best in people and makes sure that they know they are seen in the best light! It's one of the many reasons the high school girls in her troop are so connected to her as a leader. As a lifelong Girl Scout, Katie provides a traditional Girl Scout experience to not only the girls in her troop, but to everyone. Katie is passionate about helping others see that they can be successful in learning new things, encouraging them when they learn by failing, and celebrating when they accomplish more than they thought they could.
Katie Willis Northwest
As a lifelong Girl Scout and former camp staff, Katie is always helping her girls to look ahead to the kinds of adventures and experiences they can have through Girl Scouts. Her troop is traveling to Cincinnati with money they earned through the cookie program this year, laying the groundwork for bigger trips as the girls progress and grow. One of the best qualities that Katie brings to both her girls and to her fellow volunteers is her positive outlook. When faced with challenges or frustrations, she is calm and able to come up with creative solutions to whatever obstacle she faces.
Lindsey Dalton Olentangy
Lindsey’s steady and unwavering commitment has been essential to maintaining the health and stability of the service unit. Her reliability and calm, solutions focused approach make her a go to leader for volunteers and families alike. In summer 2025, Lindsey demonstrated her above and beyond spirit by stepping into a role at day camp when staffing needs arose. Lindsey’s dedication, flexibility, and willingness to serve wherever she is needed not only exceeds expectations but also sets a strong example of leadership and service within the Girl Scout community.
Sally Tuskes Harmony
Sally’s knowledge and resourcefulness have allowed her to support new troop leaders as they start out in Girl Scouts. She helps other leaders plan activities and events for their troop and is always responsive to any questions they may have. Her patience and kindness go a long way in helping leaders be their best. Sally’s troop loves learning hand-on skills, so she has supplied them with materials and taught them how to knit, crochet, embroider, and make hooked rugs. The girls are happy learning and their attendance shows it.
Tonya Semeraro Olentangy
As an Assistant Day Camp Coordinator, Tonya consistently goes above and beyond her role to ensure every girl and volunteer has a meaningful, safe, and memorable camp experience. She is often the first to arrive and the last to leave, quietly filling in, solving problems, and encouraging others with a calm and positive presence. Tonya leads with a genuine heart for girls. Whether sitting beside a homesick camper, cheering on a hesitant girl trying something new, or celebrating a small victory at the end of a long day, she models patience, empathy, and encouragement.
Treasnel Gravely
Harmony
Treasnel is willing to jump in and help wherever needed, spreading her enthusiasm and positivity wherever she goes. She is the leader of a very active troop and has even stepped in to be a service unit cookie coordinator at a different service unit for the second year in a row. Treasnel volunteers many hours at the council office and at different programs.
When Harmony Service Unit’s
Thinking Day Event could not happen as planned, Treasnel made Thinking Day packets for each troop and distributed them at the service unit meeting. Her spirit and energy are contagious!
Thanks Badge II
Donna Bosak Northwest
The Thanks Badge II honors a previous Thanks Badge award recipient who has continued to provide exemplary service in a leadership role which resulted in a measurable impact benefiting the entire Girl Scout Movement.
For the past 26 years, Donna has impacted many Girl Scouts and adult volunteers at the troop, service unit, camp, and council levels. She has led troops for her daughters and granddaughters in different service units. She has also been on the service unit teams in the Worthington and Northwest Service Units, planning events and activities in both, as well as serving as a delegate or alternate from each. For nearly 2 decades, Donna has served on the Adult Camporee Committee, helping plan and organize the popular event attended by volunteers from all over the council as well as from other councils in Ohio and surrounding states.
Donna Lunsford
Tecumseh
Donna is patient in understanding that growth takes time, and every girl develops at their own pace. She builds confidence in not only the girls she leads in her troops but also any girl she meets regardless of their Girl Scout involvement. She celebrates small wins and helps girls believe in themselves. Donna is creative and finds fun ways to teach girls skills so that they can earn badges and helps make meetings more engaging. Donna is a strong communicator with the girls, their parents, caregivers, other family members, the community and service unit. She understands that Girl Scouts isn’t just about activities but also about building strong, confident, brave, and capable young women.
Jennie Hayes Worthington
Jennie leads with humility, consistency, and an unwavering belief that every girl deserves access to meaningful Girl Scout experiences. She is approachable, dependable, and solution oriented. When challenges arise, she does not ask who is responsible, she asks what needs to be done. She models servant leadership, empowering others while quietly building systems that work. Her calm presence, deep institutional knowledge, and genuine care for girls and volunteers make her a trusted leader across troops, service units, and council. Whether it is staying late to troubleshoot cookie booth issues, hauling extra gear for another troop, or mentoring a new leader, Jennie consistently goes beyond what is expected.
“Ours is a circle of friendships united by ideals.”
— Juliette Gordon Low
Kim Shontz
Heart of Licking
Kim consistently goes above and beyond her assigned roles by bringing energy, positivity, and a collaborative spirit to every aspect of her service. She frequently steps in to support events, assist other volunteers, and shares her knowledge even when it is outside of her formal responsibilities. She develops meeting content, identifies areas of need within the service unit, and offers solutions that strengthen the team. Kim also serves as a mentor and trusted resource for both experienced and new leaders, often providing guidance, encouragement, and problem-solving support. Her willingness to take initiative and support others has significantly enhanced the overall effectiveness and morale of the service unit.
Teresa Lewis
Muskingum Valley
Teresa is a steady presence throughout the Muskingum Valley Service Unit. She is dedicated, passionate, and supports Girl Scouts in all program areas. Teresa is always thinking of ways to give girls awesome experiences in Girl Scouts. She made a big move last year to start incorporating a brandnew element to the Zanesville Service Center’s day camp, Dogwood, by organizing an off-site day at Dillon State Park. Having day camps meet at different sites in a single week is not something that was tried before, and it turned out to make day camp for those campers an even more fun experience. Because of Teresa’s innovative thinking, this has become a part of Dogwood’s programming, and there will be two off-site days during this summer’s day camp program!
Liz Griffin Olentangy
From The Heart Award
The From the Heart Award is presented to a member (girl or adult) who lives the Girl Scout Promise and Law to such an extent that they make a lasting impact on the life/lives of others. The recipient of this award has made the world a better place and has gone so far above and beyond that no other award even comes close to representing the magnitude of the contribution.
Liz is a caring troop leader, day camp unit leader, and friend to all. In 2025, Liz used the skills she learned from Girl Scouts to help a young man involved in a serious car accident. She didn’t think twice about getting out of her car and helping someone in need of help. She instructed her husband to call emergency services while she tended to the young man who was bleeding extensively. Liz calmly spoke to him, letting him know that he would be alright, all while creating a tourniquet from a shirt and firmly holding it over his leg where bone was exposed. She stayed with him, caring to his needs until professionals arrived and took over. Without her bravery and help, there could have been a very different outcome.
“The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.”
— Juliette Gordon Low
President’s Award
The President’s Award recognizes the efforts of a service delivery team or committee whose exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout program surpassed team goals and provided an impact towards the council’s overall goals.
From experienced new members and troops, these 11 service units provided excellent service to their Service Unit. They attended meetings, tried new things, and supported their areas in many creative ways. Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland is very appreciative of their efforts from the 2024-2025 Girl Scout year and are looking forward to hearing about the great things from these areas for 2025-2026! For more information about how your service unit can meet the requirements for this award next year, ask your membership manager for the requirements.
Jade
Big Walnut Northwest Shawnee Trails
Emerald Morrow Olentangy