SERINO AND GIRL SCOUTS TEAM UP FOR LOCAL SENIORS

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY—Senator Sue Serino (R, C, I—Hyde Park) today commended Girl Scouts from local Troop 10523 on their commitment to seniors in our community. Senator Serino spent time last week with Girl Scouts, Olivia Rockrohr and Rebecca Johnston of LaGrange and their Troop Leader Amelia Roger, delivering yarn to local seniors to be made into hats, blankets and other goods for patients and individuals in need.

“Olivia and Rebecca, along with their Girl Scout Troop, are a shining example of the good that results when our young people take an active role in improving life in our area,” said Senator Serino. “I was proud to partner with them on a unique initiative that engages our seniors, but I was even prouder when we saw just how much joy we brought in delivering the yarn last week. It is clear that our local Girl Scouts are actively shaping tomorrow’s leaders—these girls have bright futures ahead and our community is lucky to count them as neighbors.”

Troop Leader, Amelia Roger, said, “It is so rewarding to watch through the years as the shyest, quietest scouts develop into courageous, confident young women ready to help make the world a better place. Every community service project we do helps to strengthen these attributes in the girls. The girls learn through service to be better, more productive citizens by helping out where they can. We thank Senator Serino for this opportunity to serve our seniors.”

Last fall, Senator Serino and the Girl Scouts began collecting yarn at the Senator’s district office in  Hyde Park. The girls even took time out of their busy schedules to set up shop at the Senator’s Senior Golden Gathering event, which hosted almost 1,000 seniors, to collect yarn and raise awareness for their project. On Thursday, the girls and Senator Serino teamed up to deliver the countless skeins of yarn to the Vassar-Warner Home, a local assisted living facility, and Vassar Brothers Medical Center, both located in Poughkeepsie.

Roger noted the importance of the lessons learned by the Scouts in the process saying, “The girls learned so much starting with the 4th of July parade when they handed out flyers, at the Golden Gathering talking to people to make them aware of the project, collecting the yarn and finally to delivering the yarn. Meeting some of the talented women at the Vassar-Warner Home and seeing the beautiful projects they were making from yarn was a highlight.

Roger noted that the Girl Scouts will continue collecting yarn, saying, “The scouts do plan to continue with this project knowing that there is yarn out there in closets, that could be immediately put to good use. They now know a lot more about groups who would welcome these donations and how easy it was to do."

Senator Serino echoed that point and concluded by saying, “This is one of those projects where everyone wins—the girls are learning lifelong lessons, our seniors are being engaged and are providing a valuable service for those in need. I look forward to continuing assisting Troop 10523 in their admirable endeavor and collecting even more yarn for our local seniors.”

Members of the community can drop new yarn or gently-used yarn scraps off to Senator Serino’s Hyde Park District Office from 9:00 am-5:00 pm Monday-Friday. The office is located at 4254 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538. For more information, please call  845-229-0106.

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