Girl Scouts from Service Unit 812 are excited to partner with the SELCC and Dance Arts Iowa to collect new toys for local families this holiday season. Girl Scouts participate in service projects throughout the year to help make our world a better place. This service project adds to efforts of the SELCC to help local families during the holiday season. All items for the Girl Scout Toy Drive can be dropped off at the designated table at the Dance Arts Iowa Nutcracker Performance Dec. 8 at the Mount Vernon High School Performing Arts Center. Girl Scouts will be there collecting donations from 1:30-3:30 pm. They will make sure all donations get to the SELCC. The Nutcracker performance starts at 2 p.m. and tickets for the performance are $10 at the door for community members wanting to see the show. No ticket necessary to make a donation. If that drop off date is missed, donations can also drop items off at the SELCC during their normal open hours before December 18, 2024.

The SELCC coordinates holiday gifts for 200 local kids through the Adopt-a-Family program and partnerships with many local groups. In addition, donated toys from Toys for Tots, local donations, and donations collected by Girl Scouts will be available December 18-20 at SELCC for community members who are in need of something extra for the children in their lives. Parents and grandparents can come from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on December 18th and 20th, and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on December 19. These donations from the Girl Scout event stay local and help brighten the holidays for Mount Vernon and Lisbon youth.

Girl Scouts is a national organization dedicated to helping girls develop courage, confidence and character through a variety of activities since 1912. Each Girl Scout Troop is made up of 3-20 girls ages 5-18. A group of troops is called a service unit and our local service unit is 812- made up of over 118 girls from troops in Mt Vernon, Lisbon, Solon and Springville. We have openings for many more girls! For more information or to sign up check out girlscoutstoday.org. Girls ages 5 to 18 and adult volunteers are welcome to sign up. Scholarships for membership are available through the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois Council if there are financial hardships.