Letter of the Day: There’s more to Girl Scouts than Do-Si-Do’s...

Editor, Index-Tribune:

My husband and I found ourselves in a recent quandary. For a couple of years, the over-bearing and too-exuberant Monterey Pine tree in our front yard had been growing around our telephone wires, increasingly threatening to disconnect them from our house. We finally arranged for the pine to get a well-deserved trimming; the end result being a 5-foot pile of pine tree branches stacked in our yard. Since both of us are no longer the youngsters we used to be, we pondered how to get these branches to recycling.

As luck would have it, a friend planted the thought: Aren’t there groups picking up old Christmas trees this time of year? Why don’t you look into that? And so we did. Through the Sonoma Index-Tribune, we learned the Sonoma Girl Scouts were performing their last pickup for their Sonoma Christmas Tree Recycling fundraiser in two days. In the spirit of one-never-knows-unless-one-asks, we promptly sent an email, describing our situation and our desire to make a donation for this rather unusual request and the extra trouble. We estimated the heap of branches would easily fill the bed of a standard pick-up truck for at least six loads. We shortly heard back from Darcy McNairy, Sonoma Girl Scouts Troop 10141 Leader, who assured us they would be happy to help us out and to expect them at 9 a.m. on their last pickup date.

True to their word, the troop arrived on time and prepared, bringing with them: two large trailers and at least two pick-up trucks, smiling faces, gloved hands and youthful enthusiasm. It gave my husband and me a warm feeling as we watched Troop 10141 make short work of that large mound of pine tree branches; and all too soon, they were finished -- in less than 30 minutes! They asked us for rakes, finishing the job in a most appreciated way. With the trailers and the pick-up trucks filled, the Girl Scouts patted our dog on the head, and then smiled and waved as they left.

“Was it a dream?” we asked ourselves. No, it wasn’t – as evidenced by the newly revealed front yard area. Watching them keep to task and having fun at the same time gave us a bright spark of hope for this old world of ours. So we want to say a great big “thank you” to Darcy McNairy and Sonoma Girl Scouts Troop 10141 for a number of reasons. And if you haven’t gathered by now, Sonoma Girl Scouts rock!

Linda B. & Jack J. Bradbury

Sonoma