Congratulations to Lilly Truel on receiving a GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship!
Lilly’s Gold Award project – Wings 4 Wheelchairs – was one of 110 selected, out of nearly 3,000 Gold Award Girl Scout projects.
The inspiration for Wings 4 Wheelchairs came about one summer.
“(When) I was 14, I was a camp counselor assigned to a disabled young woman in a wheelchair on a fieldtrip to a local park. I was stricken with grief when I had to watch my camper, alongside several other wheelchair-bound campers, sit off to the side while all the others played on a playscape and swing set,” she said.
She named her project after the feeling she experienced as a child.
“My favorite memories at parks were swinging on a swing set, which made me feel like I was flying. The impact of watching these campers not have that same opportunity hurt my heart and inspired my Gold Award project, which I titled “Wings 4 Wheelchairs”, in honor of my disabled camper from that summer.”
Gold Award takes flight
Lilly raised money to purchase and install a two bay ADA swing with wheelchair platform and Jenny Swing/Seat for a Southgate community park.
According to Lilly, this playground swing not only has a specialized swing for special needs children with full harness and safety belts, but another entrance that can accommodate a wheelchair with a ramp and safety locking system to hold wheelchair wheels in place.
Lilly also purchased and donated books featuring special need characters and issues to her local library and developed an informational website about Wings 4 Wheelchairs.
Lilly figures her Wings 4 Wheelchairs Gold Award project has reached more than 1 million people, through the media her project received, including an Op-Ed piece she wrote. Recently, the Downriver Miracle Park opened, for which Lilly contributed a letter of support with the initial grant application.
Going beyond Gold
Since earing her Gold Award and GSSEM’s Young Woman of Distinction Runner Up recognition, Lilly has gone on to purse her dream of a career in medicine.
Lilly is attending the University of Detroit-Mercy as part of their accelerated 5-Year Physician Assistant Studies Program, with the goal of being certified by age 23.
“I have a special interest to work at the Michigan Children’s Hospital in Detroit to provide outstanding care to disabled children,” she said.
“This was all inspired by my passion that I learned during my Gold Award Project!”
Congratulations, again, Lilly. GSSEM is proud of you and your accomplishments!
Wondering about Girl Scout Gold Awards? Find out more at www.gssem.org/highestawards
