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Scout provides coloring caddies

When people set out to identify needs in their communities, it’s easy to look at the big things, e.g. roads in need of repair, run-down neighborhoods or mentorships for at-risk kids, among others.

Yet needs also exist in smaller ways, and meeting them can help make life just a little bit easier for everyone.

Emily Sokoloski, a seventh-grader at St. James Lutheran School in Northrop, has stepped up through her Girl Scout Silver Award project. Emily has designed and built 16 magazine-style wooden caddies that hold hand-drawn coloring pages and crayons. She says she saw a need to keep small hands busy when they need to be patient, such as in waiting areas or for group activities.

“My little sister who is 8 is always talking and never has anything to do,” Emily said. “She once broke her toe and was sitting in the waiting room coloring pages. So I looked into that and decided that was something I could do.”

Emily utilized local businesses to help in her endeavor, including Boekett Building Supply, D&S Trophies and Riverbend Office Supplies. Emily’s mother, Sara, said the businesses each made generous donations, as well as reducing the price of materials.

Girl Scout leader Nancy Klemek noted that businesses and organizations in town have generally been good in helping girls with their Gold and Silver awards.

“It’s a lot easier for the girls if they don’t have to go out and earn the money to do their projects,” Klemek said.

“After we went to Boekett Lumber and I got all the wood, glue and nails, I cut all the pieces and sanded it, stained varnished and nailed it all together,” Emily said. “My dad helped me with the building part, figuring out exactly how to build the box, and I told him what I wanted and he helped lay it out for me.”

Emily has placed the coloring caddies all around the area, including St. James Lutheran School, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Grace Lutheran Church, Building Blocks Learning Center, St. Paul’s Lutheran School and Church and Mayo Clinic Health System.

Emily also plans to provide supplies for the caddies, which include crayons, which were donations from the community, as well as her own hand-drawn coloring pages, of which she photocopied about 1,200 at Riverbend.

“We gave each place a folder with the master copies, so they can copy them, but I am sustaining it by going back every once in a while and refilling it,” she said.

Emily enjoyed the project, though she did learn that she is not as interested in the building process. She also noted she is excited about finding other ways to help serve her community in the future.

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