11 minute read
Stars & Stripes Award Recipient Highlight
STARS & STRIPES AWARD RECIPIENTS AT A GLANCE
(2021-2022 Program Year to date)
EMMA BALENTINE TX1221
STARS & STRIPES AWARD RECIPIENT #872
2021-2022 Program Year Recipients:
147
Benefiting Organizations Served:
147
Creed Word Most Used in Writing:
Helpful
Total Service Hours:
37,473
Average Service Hours per Project:
255
What Stars & Stripes Award Recipients Like Most About AHG:
Leadership Opportunities & Serving Others
#1 Thing Girls Learned:
Start with prayer
Total Number of Stars & Stripes Project Advisors:
22
Benefiting Organization
MERCY HOUSE MINISTRIES
Location: Dallas, TX
Project: Renovated a room to provide space for counseling, schoolwork, and a common area. Total Supervisory Hours: 13 Overall Service Hours: 330
FUTURE PLANS:
Interested in studying in the therapy field
WHAT DID YOU FIND MOST REWARDING IN EARNING THE STARS & STRIPES AWARD?
From the beginning, God has been present. The fact that I prayed for a place to do my project and not even a week later my mentor remembered an organization named Mercy House and that was exactly what I had envisioned working with. This process has forced me to rely on God in many situations and pray for guidance in all my decisions. In that way, I have grown more than I could have imagined. Earning the Stars & Stripes Award will serve as a reminder to me that God has created me for so much more than what I would ever imagine for myself. It also helped me continue to push myself to do hard things and know that I can do them.
My Stars & and Stripes Award project was a true reflection of my heart and my goal in life. God truly showed me things about myself through this process. I know I can do hard things and that God can change you to be a completely different person than how you started out. I never would have thought I would transform from a shy little girl who would not say a word to anyone she did not know into a young lady who is not afraid to get up in front of people and lead. That shows me how God can take a person and His love can transform her into something new and beautiful just like how I transformed my home and the room at Mercy House.
“The remodeling of our classroom space at Mercy House has been the catalyst for cultivating hearts of gratitude for every good thing that comes to our residents. The gift of this remodel led to massive advancement in our residents from an educational perspective and has allowed them a beautiful space to grow and thrive.”
–Saundra Halstead
Mercy House Ministries
The mission of building women of integrity is an incredible charge from the Lord given to American Heritage Girls. This task is textured with victories and difficulties, giving God a chance to show His beautiful ways of blessing the ministry with faithful and capable partners. AHG National Awards are a small way to recognize some of these incredible people and the outstanding work they do. AHG volunteers are invested in fulfilling the Mission of AHG, and without their partnership in building women of integrity, AHG’s impact on the lives of countless girls would not exist. Please join AHG in congratulating the recipients of the 2021-2022 Program Year AHG National Awards:
FOUNDER’S AWARD
The Founder’s Award is given on behalf of the Founder to an awardee that has exemplified the values of AHG. It is rarely given and usually only bestowed during a Girl Convention (every five years).
JoNell Baker, MN0312
Patti Garibay has chosen this year’s awardee based on her amazing Grit with Grace. This woman stared a devastating disease in the face while modeling positivity, strength and an enduring love for her Lord. She shared the Grit that underscored her journey by owning the term “Suck it up Buttercup.” She understood that life is not meant to be easy and that her role was not to complain but rather find joy in the moment. She understood that she was not perfect, but rather a “cracked pot” that allow the love of Christ to shine through her imperfections. She praised the Lord continually and served Him in all she did. Whether it was working in the Global Ministries department of her church, or leading a group of PI/PAs in her local Troop, or encouraging an entire Area Team in the Twin Cities as she served as Area Coordinator, this awardee represented all of the qualities of a woman of integrity. Her spunk, her joy, her perseverance, her enthusiasm, her sense of humor, her love for the Lord and His people are attributes that were admired and inspirational for all who knew her. JoNell was chosen in early May and Patti was so excited to share the good news of this award with her in-person. However, after many surgeries and hospital stays, her body succumbed to the battle. This year’s Founder’s Award is awarded to JoNell Baker who “has fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith.” JoNell joined her Savior on May 13, 2022. JoNell’s husband, Kerry, knew she was receiving this award prior to her passing. He has asked that her precious daughter, Elsie, receive this honor in her mother’s name.
MOLLY PITCHER AWARD
This award recognizes those that come to the aid of others when needed most and giving their gift of time, talents, and resources.
Christi Cameron, OR0001
As a member of the AHG Girl Impact Volunteer Team, Christi has provided thousands of ideas, inspiration, and guidance to her fellow AHG volunteers. Thanks to her tireless effort, Christi has breathed new life into the American Heritage Girls Pinterest account, pinning links and extension ideas for badge work to assist leaders in badge completion. This Program Year, she’s pinned content for over 50 badges and is working to have a Pinterest board resourced for every AHG Badge.
MUSTARD SEED AWARD
This award honors an individual who seeks to be a good steward by participating in the expansion of AHG, realizing we are expanding the kingdom of God through the AHG Ministry.
Sherry Ohotnicky, MI0138
Sherry has been at the forefront of growing the AHG Ministry’s presence within Catholic dioceses nationwide. As the Chair of the National Catholic Committee, Sherry contributed to the creation of Catholic-specific programming, like the Catholic Faith Awards and Patch Programs. Sherry also serves as an AHG representative on the Catholic Committee on Scouting for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. As a military spouse, Sherry used her family’s frequent PCS (Permanent Change of Station) schedule as a catalyst for new Troop development. Where the Ohotnickys went, an AHG Troop was sure to follow!
OUTSTANDING ALUMNA AWARD
This award recognizes an AHG Alumna who has made an outstanding contribution to the American Heritage Girls’ Ministry at a local, regional or national level.
Nicole Traicoff, AZ1212
“My favorite thing about working with these girls is their zeal for life; sometimes they are pure chaos, but they have such a joy to experience the world that you just can’t help but be excited alongside them. I can’t imagine my life without this wonderful program and I want to give these girls the same amazing AHG experience that my own leaders gave me throughout the program.”
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award is presented to a volunteer who goes above and beyond to make their AHG Troop a welcoming, discipling, encouraging, and fostering environment for all girls.
Anne Lombard, WA0821
An excerpt from her nomination: “Anne is full of energy, excitement and life. She is continually loyally putting the girls of troop WA0821 first. She is a woman of faith who loves God and whose faith informs her life. This spills out into how she loves the girls and how she encourages them to love one another. She is inclusive of all the girls in the Troop, going above and beyond to make sure that no one is ever overlooked or missed and is sure that all the girls are cared for. Anne loves the Lord and brings her faith to the troop encouraging the girls to love on each other, their families, communities and the Lord.”
PIONEER UNIT LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award honors a Unit Leader who shepherds a Pioneer Unit with passion, creativity, and patience.
Melody Wyatt, NE3130
An excerpt from her nomination: “Melody is quick to listen and slow to speak. She takes everyone’s feelings into consideration and treats others the way she wants to be treated. She is humble and servanthearted, which helps the Assistant Unit Leaders feel valued and part of the team. Melody is careful to watch for bullying or unwholesome talk within large group settings, which helps the Girl Members’ relationships with each other. Melody is incredibly understanding of our teen girls. She loves them dearly and trusts God to have big plans for each of their lives. Melody makes sure all the girls are included through the “Covert Encouragers” program that she started with the PI/PAs. She randomly assigns each of the girls another PI/PA girl and has that girl pray for her and leave notes of encouragement. She is open to all of their ideas and inspires them to live up to their full potential based on their strengths.”
TENDERHEART UNIT LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
This award honors a Unit Leader who shepherds a Tenderheart Unit with passion, creativity, and patience.
Laurie Wraase, CA4673
An excerpt from her nomination: “Laurie’s positivity and love for the girls and other moms as well is an incredible example to me and the whole Troop. She gives tirelessly of her time and energy and is always thinking of new and creative ways to teach the girls. She loves the outdoor events for our Troop is always looking for ways to make sure we are having fun in a safe and growth promoting environment. She is so much more to the Troop than simply the Tenderheart Unit Leader, but that is where her heart shines the brightest…Laurie is always meeting the needs of girls, regardless of their different levels of understanding or ability to participate. She has crafts ready or prepared for the youngest of girls and is always encouraging them to grow in their skills and abilities. She goes above and beyond for one of families in particular by driving to their house and giving them badge work or crafts when they can’t make it to the meetings. She has a special heart for those girls with special needs or learning disabilities.”
Community Partner Award
This award is presented to an individual or company who has impacted a community or communities by raising awareness about the mission of AHG.
American Family Association
AHG is awarding the Community Partner Award to the American Family Association (AFA) in recognition of their commitment to supporting the ministry across their many platforms. AFA airs the Raising Godly Girls Minute on radio stations nationwide free of charge, providing AHG the opportunity to minister to families. AFA has welcomed AHG Founder & Executive Director Patti Garibay to speak at conferences, join podcasts and interviews, and honored her on their “40 Faithful” list.
NEWTROOPS
See more every Tuesday at Facebook.com/AmericanHeritageGirls
PA1230 Great Commission Schools / Altoona AZ1230 Body of Christ Church / Camp Verde MS1508 Hardy Street Baptist Church / Hattiesburg TX0940 The Bay Community Church / Runaway Bay CO2820 New Life Fellowship / Rifle TX3567 The Bridge Christian Church / Crawford NC0139 Chapel by the Sea / Emerald Isle ND0520 Cathedral of the Holy Spirit / Bismarck WI2206 Harvest Community Church / Luxemburg ID1199 Community Bible Church / Emmett SC4224 Thrive Church / Greenville KY1225 St. Christopher Parish / Radcliff NY0522 Calvary Chapel of the Finger Lakes / Canandaigua TN2191 Newport Church of the Nazarene / Newport TN1450 Hixson Presbyterian Church / Hixson PA1513 Dayspring Christian Academy / Mountville WA1911 Wabash Church / Auburn MT0406 Concord Harvest Baptist Church / Three Forks MI4650 Anchor of Hope Church / Muskegon NE2021 Camp Sonshine / Roca TN5010 Thousand Hills Cowboy Church / Ethridge MI1631 Roscommon Baptist Church / Roscommon TX1226 Magnolia Bible Church / Magnolia GA4700 Lutheran Church of the Redeemer / Columbus
What does the pass Include?
• Mainstage Keynote
Speeches from Expert
Voices • Workshop Sessions Packed with Great Information • Downloadable Handouts for applicable Workshop
Sessions • Access to the content from July 28, 2022 through December 31, 2022
#NewTroopTuesday
How much does the pass cost?
• $79.99
Where do I register?
• americanheritagegirls. regfox.com/ahginspiredigital-access-pass • Registration ends
December 1, 2022 at 11:59pm EST.
