Schools

Woodinville Brownie Troop Collecting Blankets for Tent City 4

The Wilder Elementary Girl Scouts are collecting for the homeless and dispelling misconceptions in the process.

Girl Scout Brownie Troop 52527 at in Woodinville is collecting blankets for residents of Tent City 4, according to troop leader Melissa Rogers.

The troop is trying to collect 99 blankets for homeless people living at Tent City 4, currently housed at . The troop chose that number in celebration of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America 99 year anniversary this year.

At first, the young girls of the troop were apprehensive to help the homeless. To educate the girls and alleviate their unease, Rogers arranged for three women living at Tent City 4 to come to a troop meeting and talk to the girls.

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“Some of the feelings that were expressed by the troop before they came were that they were afraid of homeless people, that most homeless people were men and that some homeless people choose to be homeless,” said Rogers. “After the meeting they felt much more comfortable and understood that the homeless are people just like us and that it can happen to anyone. One of the girls said the residents ‘didn't look homeless’.”

One of the women that spoke was a mother had to give her children up for adoption so that they would have a roof over their heads, according to Rogers.

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“She had been a nurse but due to a knee injury she couldn't work so she has no income,” she said.

Rogers saw a needs list on the Tent City 4 blog, and decided to see if her troop wanted to donate. In addition to the blankets, the girls presented Tent City 4 with a $100 check, money raised from selling cookies.

“The girls also learned about how valuable Tent City is because the residents have access to laundry, showers and transportation assistance,” Rogers said. “They explained that all of these things are necessary for them to be presentable in order to try to obtain a job.”
 
The troop is collecting blankets through April 11. Blankets can be dropped off at Wilder Elementary School or contact Melissa Rogers atmelbalicious@live.com and make arrangements for pick up. 


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