Samantha, left, had assistance at her craft table from Caitlin, who is one of her team helpers on her Silver Award project. (Contributed photo)
When kids help kids, everybody wins. That idea is exemplified by a Cadette Girl Scout project undertaken by 13-year-old Southern Lehigh resident Samantha Weaver, who will complete it in the coming months in order to earn her Silver Award.
Samantha–who is part of Troop 63650–is in the process of building a unique bookshelf for the waiting area at St. Luke’s Developmental Pediatrics on Lanark Road in Center Valley. And to ensure that it is filled with cool books for the kids who visit the practice to enjoy, she hosted a four-hour book drive at Barnes & Noble at the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley Saturday.
After learning of her project, staff from the Center Valley bookstore invited Samantha to set up a craft table to promote the book drive in their children’s section, her mom Marci explained. At the table located near the entrance to the children’s section, kids had the opportunity to design their own colorful bookmarks and to transform plain white coffee filters into beautiful butterflies.
The finished bookshelf will be equally stunning and will feature hearts that will be carved into it, Samantha said.
While their kids colored, parents had a chance to pick out books to purchase for Samantha’s bookshelf. Staff at the registers had boxes set up in which they collected the donated purchases.
Once it’s finished and installed in the pediatric practice’s waiting area, the shelf will hold all kinds of reading material for kids ages 3 to 18.
Marci said their goal is to conclude the book drive by the end of July and to dedicate the shelf sometime during the school year.
Samantha, who has special needs, is enrolled in a life skills program at Lower Macungie Middle School, where she will enter eighth grade this fall.
While she hosted the craft table, Samantha collected a number of books from local families who wanted to support her effort. She also helped put a lot of smiles on young faces, just as the donated books will do in the future.
Anyone who couldn’t make it on Saturday can still donate to the book drive through July 31.
For more information about how to donate to Samantha’s book drive, please email sm**********@gm***.com.
Samantha and her mom, Marci, go over the craft options at her table in Barnes & Noble at the Promenade Shops Saturday. Kids were able to make their own bookmarks and butterflies made out of coffee filters.
A handmade sign explains Samantha’s bookshelf project and who it will benefit.
There was every opportunity for young imaginations to run wild at the craft table, which was well-stocked with markers and other materials needed for the craft projects.
Samantha’s activity table became a miniature center for creativity for families in the midst of shopping and running errands Saturday.
Once the coffee filters were colored in, the instructions were to take them home, wet them a bit and then air dry them in order to create a ‘tie-dyed’ effect.
Marci and Samantha offer help to their young visitors at Samantha’s craft table at the Center Valley Barnes & Noble Saturday.
Hunter, Max, Emma and Hailey hold up their finished masterpieces, which they were able to make thanks to Samantha’s generosity.
A one-year-old makes a butterfly at Samantha’s craft table. (Contributed photo)
Samantha assists a Daisy Girl Scout from Troop 619 in Coopersburg. (Contributed photo)
Caitlin W., one of Samantha’s team helpers, assists young children at Samantha’s craft table at Barnes & Noble Saturday. (Contributed photo)
