ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WDNews) — Enterprise Girl Scout Alexis Holub was recognized during Tuesday night’s Enterprise City Council meeting after earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement available to Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts.
The Gold Award recognizes Girl Scouts who identify a need in their community, develop a plan to address it and complete a project that creates a lasting impact. Each project requires a minimum of 80 hours of planning, leadership, research, service and implementation.
Holub, an Ambassador Girl Scout with Troop 9048 entering her 13th year in Girl Scouts, earned the honor through her project, “Paws & Refresh – Preventing Heat Stroke One Bowl at a Time.”
The project focused on improving the Bark Park at Johnny Henderson Family Park by increasing awareness of heat-related illness in dogs and providing additional resources for pet owners.
Holub said the idea came from her experience working at a local pet care facility, where she noticed automatic water bowls being used. After speaking with a local veterinarian and conducting research, she learned many pet owners may not recognize the warning signs of heat stroke in dogs or understand the dangers of dehydration.
“While working at Grand Pawlace, I noticed the automatic water bowls being used and felt like this was something the Enterprise dog park could benefit from,” Holub said. “After speaking with a local veterinarian, I realized that many people do not know the signs of a heat stroke in dogs. … Dogs cannot talk to us, so we may not notice something is wrong.”
As part of the project, Holub worked with the Enterprise Parks and Recreation Department to install three automatic water bowls and two educational signs at the Bark Park. The signs explain the symptoms of heat stroke in dogs, what owners should do if a dog shows signs of distress and the importance of preventing dehydration during hot weather.
Holub also planned for the long-term maintenance of the project by providing cleaning instructions, maintenance contact information, shut-off valve guidance and replacement parts for the hydration stations.
Mayor William E. Cooper praised Holub’s dedication and leadership.
“Alexis identified a need, developed a thoughtful solution and dedicated countless hours to creating a lasting improvement for our community,” Cooper said. “The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the very best in leadership and service, and Alexis has demonstrated both through this outstanding project. We are proud to recognize her accomplishment and thank her for making a meaningful contribution to Enterprise.”
Members of Girl Scout Troop 9048 also assisted with the project by pressure washing tables, benches, tires, a replica fire hydrant and park signs, helping refresh the Bark Park as part of the overall effort.
The City of Enterprise congratulated Holub on earning the Girl Scout Gold Award and thanked her for her commitment to serving the community through leadership, research and volunteerism.
