The Mecca Center’s Girl Scouts of America Troop had their first meeting for the school year on October 6. The Troop welcomed new Daisy and Brownie scouts in grades KG-3rd and kicked off their mission by learning about and exploring the concepts of kindness and respecting themselves and others.

The scouts learned all about the kindness bucket that every person carries in their heart and how they can each make sure to show kindness in every part of their day, as this is the sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S). They read and discussed related hadith of the Rasul to understand the importance of standing up for good and spreading kind acts to help others.

The older Troop members in the Brownies group also learned about kindness but extended the concept to thoughtfulness and responsibility to our Earth and all of Allah’s (SWT) creations. Allah (SWT) is the most kind and provides us with so many resources and bounties.

Scouts explored the ways that humans may become greedy with their use of resources, not realizing how wasteful and hurtful to the environment and our community we may become. In a response to this worldwide problem, and in an effort to extend kindness and respect, Troop members have taken a pledge to raise awareness against waste and increase recycling efforts at home and in their community. In connection to this, Brownie scouts worked together with their new friends to design their own reusable bags by sewing, cutting, and gluing reusable fabrics.

The Mecca Center Girl Scouts Troop urge each of you too to utilize reusable bags and containers in your homes and communities! Be on the lookout for more recycling bins at The Mecca Center as well as the Trex recycling bins that will be available at your masjid so that your family can divert hundreds of plastic films and bags from the landfill to a reusable cause. Remember: REDUCE, REDUCE, REDUCE, if not, then REUSE, and RECYCLE… in that order!