Girl Scouts Honors Outstanding Volunteers and Girls

On Sunday, June 4th Girl Scouts of Orange County and its Board of Directors came together with over 700 guests to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of Girl Scouts and the adult volunteers who support them at the Celebrate! Recognition luncheon at the Disneyland Hotel. The following Laguna Niguel residents received a prestigious award during the event.

Girl Scouts 50-year members Donna Mulvaney, Eleanor Nichols, and Lindy Thurrell

Donna Mulvaney received her 50-Year Membership Numeral Guard Pin, as well as the Honor Pin, a national award which recognize volunteers who have delivered outstanding service in multiple geographic areas and requires approval of the council’s board of directors. For 50 years, Donna has been a troop leader, Service Unit leader, mentor, advisor and inspiration to Girl Scouts in Southern California. As a troop leader, Donna started the Girl Scout Tree Grove in the Laguna Niguel Botanical Preserve, planting many beautiful Jacaranda trees. Her grove has grown into a sacred place for Girl Scouts and the community where many Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award projects have been implemented, badges and journeys earned, and events hosted. Although she did not grow up in Girl Scouts, she carries the spirit of Girl Scouts in her heart and has been driving our mission forward for most of her adult life.

2017 Good Guy Award Recipients: Shareif Taraman, Steffan Slater, Steve Rousselle, Mat Wilson, and Greg Moore.

Volunteer Dr. Sharief Taraman was honored with the Good Guy Award, a special recognition designed to say ‘Thank You’ to the terrific men who work “behind the scenes” to assist Girl Scouts without having an official title. Dr. Taraman has been volunteering for both the Niguel Coast and the Heart of Irvine Service Units for the past several years. As the director of CHOC’s concussion clinic and Health Sciences assistant clinical professor at UC Irvine, he has a big heart for health and safety. For the past three years, he has volunteered as the first aider at the Niguel Coast Food Fair. And when a local troop needed help installing bird houses in the Girl Scout Grove for their Silver Award Project, he safely scaled the trees so that the girls could give the birds new homes. He also volunteers his time each summer at the Irvine Girl Scout Day Camp.

2017 Juliette Low Spirit of Girl Scouting Award Recipients: Hannah Lee, Ashley Holguin, Lucy O’Connell, Phoebe Logier, Erika Dunning

Girl Scout Ambassador Erika Dunning (17) was surprised with the Juliette Low Spirit of Girl Scouting Award, which honors graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated their dedication to Girl Scouting. Erika is a strong ambassador for Girl Scouting in her community and always presents the best version of herself as a role model for others to follow, such as in her counselor roles at day camp and Camp Scherman and through her Gold Award. Erika believes Girl Scouts has given her the tools to be a good person, help the world around her, and to be a sister to all.

Reflecting on the award recipients, Girl Scouts of Orange County CEO Nancy Nygren shared her gratitude. “I am very proud to take part in this celebration, honoring some of the hardest working, most dedicated volunteers any organization could have. Together, we are educating our communities about the importance and relevancy of the Girl Scout Leadership Development Experience while changing thousands of girls’ lives for the better.”

New Girl Scout troops are forming in your area! Visit GirlScoutsOC.org/Join today.

About Girl Scouts

We are Girl Scouts of Orange County. We are 34,000 strong-- nearly 21,000 girls and 13,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) ™ to change the world. Our extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with the original G.I.R.L., Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, she organized the very first Girl Scout troop. Every year since, we’ve honored her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. With programs in every zip code in Orange County, Girl Scouts offers every girl opportunities to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit GirlScoutsOC.org.