STOUGHTON — Joining Girl Guides is a relatively easy task, and once you’re a member, you can move up the ranks within the club.
The Stoughton Girl Guide club started in 2019, and Ella-Renn Slater and Cheyenne Lake joined right away. Being older, they could move to the appropriate level, and they are now rangers.
In the rangers age group, young women need to be between the ages of 15 and 17, and at this stage, they must complete service projects to earn awards.
Cheryl Lake, one of the leaders and the Black-Gold District leader, suggested that the two young women raise toys for Christmas and add them to the hampers distributed during the season.
Decorated boxes were placed at local businesses in Stoughton near the end of November, including Lakeview Insurance, where Reine Clark is in charge. The challenge ran until Dec. 17.
Clark encouraged other businesses to participate. The challenge called on local businesses and residents to donate a toy or two and nominate others to do the same. The response was overwhelming, with over 40 toys collected. Lake said the drive went so well that they not only donated toys to the hampers but also had some left over, either because they were not needed or were for a different age group.
It took the Lake family the entire evening to wrap the gifts and label them with the appropriate age and gender.
“It is tough times for people, and I wanted to help out,” said Cheyenne. “It feels good contributing to the community,” said Ella-Renn.
The remaining toys will be distributed to local daycares and preschools.
The club is always working on projects, and on May 10, they will hold their Trefoil Tea, which will also feature a bake sale and Girl Guide cookie sales.
Cheyenne and Ella-Renn plan to travel to Iceland and Switzerland in 2026. To raise funds for the trip, they must sell Girl Guide cookies, with the proceeds going directly toward their travel expenses. They are required to raise 25 percent of the cost of the trip through their cookie sales.
The trip will include two days in Iceland, followed by time in Switzerland in the town of Adelboden, where the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Centre is located.
The two young women will also hold more fundraisers this summer, which may include a car wash or bake sale. Each trip will cost around $6,000.
Another project they must complete is a nature-themed event. In past years, the Girl Guides have helped plant flowers and vegetables in the flowerbeds at New Hope Pioneer Lodge.
The group is also working on a district badge. Each Girl Guide will design a badge representing what the Girl Guides means to them. Clubs from Lampman, Midale and Estevan will submit their designs, and one badge will be selected. The winning club will receive a pizza party, and all clubs are working hard to earn this reward.
Girl Guides offers a safe environment for young women to make crafts, play games and learn about camping. There is something for every age, from 5 to 17 years old.
