Callie Crowell and Jalyssa Wagoner earned their Gold Award in Girl Scouting for renovating the Penny House in Patrick Springs. This award is the highest attainment in Girl Scouts and takes each girl at least 80 hours of work and planning to earn. Congratulations to these two girls. They are in Girl Scout Troop 1302, led by Dee Ragsdale and Mary Handy. They meet at Providence United Methodist Church for their meetings each month.
Callie and Jalyssa met with Larry Vernon and learned the history of the Penny House and thought helping the community by giving the house a bit of a facelift would be a good project. The Penny House was begun in 1996 and has 14 churches involved with this project.
Jalyssa worked on the outside of the house sanding and painting the front porch and front door. She pressure washed the house and reattached wires on the side of the house that were loose. She also created a flower garden beside the porch and made flower boxes to attach to the porch. Inside the house, Callie cleaned everything. A new couch and chair were donated, tables restored, cabinets painted and part of the ceiling replaced and new lights were installed in the bathroom. All new rugs, shower curtain and towels were also added to the bathroom, and each bedroom received new comforters. The children’s room also now sports new toys and a new rug.
Several teens from Jalyssa’s church came and helped out on a workday, as well as girl scouts from other troops. Parents and adults from various churches also came and helped at various times. Donations were given to the girls that helped fund many of their expenses. The rest of the funds needed were paid for by the cookies that the girls had sold with the troop. At the completion of the project, the girls held an open house and several people from the 14 churches involved with the Penny House came out to see the work that had been done and enjoy the refreshments the girls had prepared. A plaque also graces the Penny House to note the renovation project.
Photos of the renovation will be on display at the Lord’s Acre Event at Rotary Field in October. Many thanks to all who helped support this project. It was a very worthwhile time spent in the community. Special thanks to Larry Vernon for all his help and support as the girls’ advisor for the project.