Fairbanks High School Girl Scout Earns Prestigious Gold Award 6 August 2010

Fairbanks senior Jessica Palmer does some weeding to maintain the new garden she planted at Glacier Ridge Metro Park. Jessica Palmer went for the Gold -- and got it! The Ostrander native joined the elite five-percent of Girl Scouts in the entire nation who have earned the Gold Award, the highest individual honor bestowed upon a Girl Scout. Palmer has called upon essential leadership, organizational, and networking skills to envision and implement her Gold Award project, which will have a lasting impact on our community. Palmer created a Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden at Glacier Ridge Metro Park in Jerome Township. The 850-square foot garden is located alongside a woodline near a small amphitheatre and picnic area. It includes a Buckeye tree and eight species of non-invasive, perennial flowers that are native to Ohio. “I removed the grass, tilled the soil, and planted the trees and flowers,” Palmer said. “I also mulched and fertilized the plants. I made a sign with information about each plant species for visitors to learn about the plants.” Palmer says she learned a lot about herself during the course of the project, working with others to make her vision a reality. “Realizing that I may not be very social, talking to local company businessmen helped me get over my fear of talking to someone new,” she said. “These men and women are willing to listen and help out the best they can. And they did a lot to help get the job done.” The Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland is a United Way Funded Program. Nearly 400 girls are involved in Union County.