Brownie Scouts Raise Donations for Watchung Hills' Erin Hodge

Seven Warren Township Brownies, representing Troop 22, came to one afternoon recently, not on a cookie-selling mission, but, on the contrary, to bring a gift. They bore a check for $763; they wanted it to go to Erin Hodge, a social studies teacher who was injured almost a year ago in an accident that left him confined to a wheelchair.

“We wanted to do something to help him,” said one of their number. “We heard he had been hurt…” she said, and the others nodded in agreement. Raking leaves, selling cookies, contributing dues, and a number of other fund-raising activities had, over the six years during which they have functioned, enriched their treasury.

Now the time had come when they were disbanding, and they wanted to distribute their funds. They had either read about Hodge’s disabling accident, or heard of it from older siblings who attended the high school, and, indeed, “wanted to do something…”

The girls had known each other since kindergarten, when the troop was formed. Now fifth-graders, they were already beginning to see how many other obligations, many new interests and commitments would be cutting into their time together. In disbanding, they divided their funds between Hodge and the Valerie Fund (named for a young Warren girl who had had a heart incident, and in whose name heart-saving devices have been installed).

Brownie Troop members included Alli Riddell, Jen Cagno, Kelsey Carlucci, Maddie Bernstein, Taylor Wilpon, Juli Carapezzi,  Bella Di Sturco, Ally Manspeizer, Brianna Caetano, Hannah Cohen, Sammi Scheiner,  Nandini Pilli and Gillian Fritzlo. Their leaders over the past six years were: Mrs. Karen Carapezzi, Mrs. Shari Wilpon and Mrs. Cheryl Fritzlo.

As Brownies, the girls will have learned about many things—nature, handicrafts, first aid, local history—and much they will forget along the way. One thing they will surely retain into adolescence and beyond:  caringness and generosity.