West Milford. Girl Scout Troop earns Bronze Award for helping the community

Four girls from Girl Scout Troop 96516 completed their Bronze Award at the end of 2020 in West Milford.

When the pandemic hit and people lost their jobs, the girls saw how much local food pantries were being used.

And then they thought: What about the pets?

Troop 96516 has previously worked with the pantries in town and they knew that most of them didn’t carry pet food. The girls thought of all the pets that could possibly be sent to shelters because people couldn’t afford to feed them and they didn’t want to let that happen.

The girls called the local pantries and St. Joe’s said they had the room and were on board with the girl’s plan.

So they set to work. They planned and researched. They made flyers and collection boxes and went around to businesses in town.

Places like Utopia Deli, Pequannock Feed, Tractor Supply and Greenwood Lake Animal Hospital took flyers and even had collection boxes for donations.

The scouts spent hours at Rockport Pet Gallery and Highlands Market, collecting food donations and talking to the public. They even made it in the news letter at Greenwood Lake Animal Hospital.

They all worked so hard, even spending nearly four hours making homemade dog and cat treats for their new pantry.

The scouts completed their project at the end of December by installing permanent signs that they made for inside and outside of the pantry.

Girl Scout Troop 96516 also asks the public to please consider donating to the St. Joseph’s Pet Food Pantry, 454 Germantown Road, West Milford (the small building just past the church where donations can be dropped in the foyer 24/7.)