Girl Scout Troop 1172 Refurbished and Repurposed 20 year old Newspaper Boxes into Free ‘Little Libraries’
Founded 27 years ago, the San Antonio Observer has continued to be passionately involved in helping and supporting our community. We publish a free community newspaper every Wednesday available to the public speaking on and to the issues that are specific to you and your family and that directly affect you locally and nationally. Information is our industry and community is our passion.
Girl Scout Troop 1172 parent volunteer Derrick Pankey was in search of used newspaper boxes available for donation for his scouts to use for their project. Collecting all the boxes from their respective locations he was instrumental in making this happen. When a small business can give back in such a way where there is a generational value is a goal for anyone. There are rich stories behind those boxes, history was put in those boxes for years and years (The San Antonio Register Newspaper)- now, these young women have brought the boxes back to life and to the good of the community still offering free reading.
It is safe to say that The Register newspaper boxes were definitely in need of some ‘tender love and care’. Graffiti, weather, accidents and more contribute to declining boxes you see on the street and it is time we put them to good use.
Derrick Pankey, parent volunteer of Troop 1172 who collected the unused Register newspaper boxes expressed, “It was a great experience to see the girls from Troop 1172 to use their different talents to complete and achieve there Bronze Award by completing Little Book Libraries for kids and adults within different communities throughout Cibolo.”
Callie, Girl Scout Leader of Troop 1172 stated, “Troop 1172 did an amazing job in completing these Free Little Libraries. These will benefit the community in so many ways. Two libraries are already approved to go at the Cibolo Bowling Club at 519 N. Main St and Cibolo Valley Ranch. The other two are pending approval. Special thanks to the San Antonio Observer for donating these boxes for the girls to repurpose. They used all their resources wisely to get the libraries completed. Troop 1172 has amazing girls and amazing volunteers that made a difference! Without your donation our Bronze Award project couldn’t have been complete. The girls are grateful for all you have done.”
Those girls of Troop 1172, Jordyn, Alexandra, Maddie, Arianna, and Kayla also shared with us what they felt books did for themselves and the community:
“We all put hard dedication to paint and to think of the designs on the boxes. We worked together and helped each other get it done. It was really fun to be able to make sure people have access to books when they can’t travel to the community library. I love to read and want other people to be able to enjoy that also.” —Jordan
“It was a learning experience to work on the little Libraries as a team and it will be great for the community.” —Alexandra
“Reading is knowledge and we couldn’t have done this without the help from our amazing volunteer parents.” — Maddie
“We wanted all of the kids in the community to have new books to read. The Little Libraries help everyone to always have a new book to read for free.” — Arianna
“Books can allow you to use your imagination to take you anywhere. It was important to us to encourage others to keep imagining through reading.” — Kayla
These young ladies have made the ‘Little Libraries’ into a piece of art knowing how damaged the boxes were on the outside. The creativity, dedication and community awareness these young ladies have shown is inspirational and will inspire our communities to understand the importance of reading in a free and easy way when they stop by the Little Libraries.
The Observer would like to commend Troop 1172’s Girl Scout Leader Callie and parent volunteer Derek Panky for all of their coordination, leadership and innovation for not only their troop but for the community as a whole.
Make sure to visit one of the ‘Little Libraries’ at the locations listed above.
