Loudon County Girl Scout creates veteran recognition program
East Tennessee teenager Rachel Huff is developing a program to honor the more than 800 veterans buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Lenoir City as part of her Gold Award project with Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians.
Huff, who is from Loudon County, is working with Wreaths Across America to establish a formal ceremony at Lakeview Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 11 a.m. She wanted to create a recognition program for veterans for her Girl Scout Gold Award project, because the military has always had a special place in her heart.
“The catalyst for choosing this as my project came last December when my mother and I were unable to lay wreaths,” Huff said. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the ceremony did not take place, and many veteran graves were left without wreaths, which inspired me to make sure every veteran in this local cemetery is honored this year and going forward.”
Huff has been collecting small flags, recruiting participants and coordinating an event plan that can be used at Lakeview Cemetery in perpetuity, including a checklist and timeline for the ceremony.
“The Gold Award is presented to girls who have demonstrated leadership and empathy to implement projects addressing a need in their community,” said Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA). “This is a great example of how Girl Scouts can make a real and lasting impact.”
The ceremony will include a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “Taps” and a 21-gun salute at the cemetery, which is located on City Park Drive in Lenoir City.
Wreaths Across America is a national organization that remembers and honors veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on their graves. The National Day of Remembrance is held on the second Saturday in December.
Huff earned a Joyce Maienschein Leadership Grant to help with expenses for the program. The grant provides up to $500 in financial support for individual girls or troops within the Southern Appalachian council who are working on Gold Awards.
At a minimum requirement of 80 hours, most girls spend between one and two years on projects for their Gold Award, the most prestigious award in Gold Scouting. A Gold Award recipient is driven to be a leader, using her passions and problem-solving skills to make a difference in her community. She has strong professional skills that set her apart in the college admissions process and make her an outstanding candidate for academic scholarships and other financial awards. In addition, Gold Award Girl Scouts who join the U.S. Armed Forces often enter at a rank above other military recruits.
