By Sarah Hall
Editor
On March 26, amid the usual budget transfers and property clean-up approvals, the Salina Town Board heard from some unlikely constituents.
Members of Lyncourt Girl Scout Troop No. 60037 appeared before the board to express concerns about their community. The troop, made up of Sprouts (pre-K students), Daisies (kindergarten and first grade) and Brownies (second and third grade) brought up such issues as missing stop signs, speeders and Sehr Park.
“The park is a little bit boring,” said Azrael, one of the Scouts. “I wish it could be updated with better improvements. I was thinking a new, bigger slide and a jungle gym.”
Justyce, another troop member, wanted to go a little farther and add a splash pad, along with some more community-minded improvements.
“We can make our local park better by providing more trash cans but also have recycling bins,” she said. “All of these things would benefit our community and get our kids active.”
Troop Leader Chaz-Lit Doyle said the girls, the majority of whom attend Lyncourt School, came up with the list of concerns by themselves.
“This is what they wanted to see in their community,” Doyle said. “I am honestly so proud of the great thought and discussion behind their letters.”
Doyle said the appearance at the town board meeting came to be after the Scouts were assigned to write a letter to an elected official in their committee for Girl Scout Week.
“They were so proud and had great discussions that I wanted to make sure that they knew their voices were being heard,” she said.
Doyle emailed Salina Town Supervisor Mark Nicotra and asked if the girls could present their concerns at a future board meeting. They were added to the next meeting’s agenda “without hesitation,” Doyle said.
Doyle, herself a mother to three girls, said the opportunity to speak before the board let the girls know that they can make a difference in the community. It also showed the board good ideas come from residents of all ages.
“Our town isn’t just made up of residents that are old and retired, or are in it for financial reasons,” Doyle said. “Our town is filled with kids — kids who have ideas and concerns that matter. It’s important to hear from them, too.”
She pointed out that the girls’ youth shouldn’t prevent people from listening to what they had to say.
“Being a kindergartener doesn’t hold them back from making an influence,” she said. “It may just be reading a letter to some, but this is just the beginning of our girls knowing their voices matter. It has built confidence in them, and these girls are off to be movers and shakers.”