Constructed by Girl Scout Troop 827 of Winter Springs, Florida, in the new Generation Service Unit, as a gift to the Winter Park Day Nursery. The troop is comprised of girls from Winter Springs and Casselberry, many of whom have been with the same troop for 10 years. The greenhouse is constructed of 2-litre soda bottles and took nearly 100 hours to complete over the period of a year; it required sorting, cleaning and cutting the ends off of nearly 1,500 soda bottles that could be strung on a wooden frame. The greenhouse project is the troop’s final step to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest award at the Girl Scout Cadette level. Thanks to the new greenhouse, the two-to-five year olds at the day nursery can learn to grow their own flowers, vegetables and herbs. One of the challenges to Girl Scouts earning their Silver Award is to find a project with a lasting or on-going impact in their community. Troop 827 recognized that the greenhouse could solve both the shortage of healthy food in the community and the center’s need for an outdoor learning center. They also liked that it used recycled materials. Next up for Troop #827 will be a Silver Award ceremony at which they will receive their Silver Award pins and a party to celebrate their accomplishment.
