Project helps those in hospice
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FAIRMONT-- Eden Dunker, a senior at Fairmont High School, is well on her way to earning her Girl Scout gold award project. For her project, Dunker has assembled nearly 100 kits with various supplies for those who are in hospice.
Dunker joined Girl Scouts as soon as she could, as a kindergartener, and is now in her 13th year.
When asked if Dunker had always planned on going for the gold award, she said she hadn't given it much thought until the time was before her, though she did get the bronze award when she was younger.
Nancy Klemek, Dunker's Girl Scout leader, said that Girl Scouts aren't required to work toward their gold award.
The gold award is the most prestigious award a Girl Scout can obtain. According to girlscouts.org, fewer than 6 percent of Girl Scouts annually get their gold award.
"We've had a good record in Fairmont for both gold and silver awards so we hope it keeps up," Klemek said.
For the gold award project, a Girl Scout needs to pick and research a community issue, come up with a plan and have it approved by the Girl Scout council. A minimum of 80 hours must be spent on the project.
Dunker's project was assembling hospice care kits for hospice patients and their families. It's a project that's personal to her. She and her mother, Laura, came up with the idea after her grandma, Dorothy, was in hospice for a short time before her passing in 2020.
Dunker started working on her project in August of this year with her mother's help but in the winter it was delayed when her mother unfortunately passed away.
Nonetheless, she persevered and this past weekend met with a team, which included other Girl Scouts and her project advisor, Nicki Keuker, at Grace Lutheran Church in Fairmont to put together the kits in an assembly line. Nearly 100 kits were assembled at that time.
The kits include about 18 different items ranging from lotion and lip balm to playing cards, photo albums, crayons, spoons and hot drink mixes. Dunker came up with a list of items to include but they also sought input from hospice workers and others who gave suggestions.
As for where the kits will go, Dunker said, "There will be 50 for each hospice at UHD and Mayo."
Dunker plans to deliver the kits herself after they're all assembled.
In order to obtain all of the items in the kits, Dunker said she and her mother went to many businesses in town seeking donations. Some provided cash and some donated items.
"She also got a $470 grant from the Martin County Youth Foundation," Klemek said.
Klemek said a woman from Pizza Ranch contacted her and gave her a $100 dollar bill for Dunker's project as it was personal to her.
"When we started out we were planning 50 total but as we got started we found out we could expand. People were very generous," Klemek said.
In addition to the work she's done as a Girl Scout, Dunker said she used to volunteer at PETT (Parents and Educators Teaming Together) and Interlaken Heritage Days with her mother. She also helped with the after school program at Grace Lutheran Church and is an active member of EMPOWER.
A member can be in Girl Scouts through their senior year and as Dunker's is coming to an end, she said her experience has been good and she would recommend it for any girl who is interested.
"I've liked helping out," Dunker said, as volunteering is a large part of Girl Scouts.
She's also enjoyed the activities that Girl Scouts have been able to partake in, which Klemek called "unique." Unfortunately, not as many activities have happened the past few years due to Covid though Dunker enjoyed a trip to the Twin Cities to take a glass blowing class.
All in all, Dunker hopes her project is able to help and comfort hospice patients and families. She included comment cards in each box that will allow families to provide feedback so that the boxes can be adapted in the future.