It's a big deal when a Girl Scout bridges from her current level of activity to a higher rank.
A ceremony is involved in the transition. At the Indiana Lakeland Girl Scout Council, Goshen, leaders from troops that are about to "bridge" generally pick up a small bridge prop from the council service center in Goshen that the girls walk across during the ceremony. Over the years, the council has accumulated three wooden bridges, but none of them big enough to accommodate a wheelchair.
When Eva Hanft, Warsaw, determined she wanted to accomplish the prestigious Silver Award community service project, she decided to create a collapsible bridge.
A freshman at Warsaw Community High School, Hanft found she had enjoyed the industrial technology class she had taken the previous year and likes to build things. Her goal was further strengthened when she considered the plight of a fellow Girl Scout, Marissa Anders, in Madison Troop 95 who is disabled and in a wheelchair.
The bridge created by Hanft is divided in three sections and is made at length and width regulations for a girl in a wheelchair, and is compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act specifications. The bridge is for any Troop that is part of the Indiana Lakeland Council. With donations from Lowe's, Big R and Troop Leader Paula Sandberg, the project only cost Hanft $38.59.
Before Hanft finishes her community service project, she will create a flyer to distribute to area troops to let them know the bridge is available. She also plans to develop a check-out system.
