Scenes from Ainsley Grant’s Community Bookshelf ribbon-cutting

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The books in Ainsley Grant's Community Bookshelf are free. Readers may choose to keep them, return them, or share them with someone else. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)

Family, friends, and Lansing Mayor Patty Eidam officially open Community Bookshelf

By Melanie Jongsma

LANSING, Ill. (October 2, 2022) – As reported by Katie Arvia last week, Lansing Girl Scout Ainsley Grant is working toward earning a Gold Award by instilling a love of reading in people of all ages. One of her projects was to build a Community Bookshelf on the north lawn of First Christian Church (2921 Ridge Road). Sunday afternoon marked the official opening of that Community Bookshelf.

A small crowd of supporters began gathering in the parking lot of First Christian Church a few minutes before 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 2. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Lansing Mayor Patty Eidam (right) was able to attend the ceremony and spend time talking with Ainsley. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Proud mom Heather Grant asked for a photo of Mayor Eidam and Ainsley at the Community Bookshelf. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Terry Strouse (second from left) is an elder at First Christian Church. He said a prayer of thanks for Ainsley and the work she is doing in the community. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Mayor Patty Eidam (right) presented Ainsley with the cut ribbon to commemorate the occasion. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Following the ribbon-cutting, Ainsley and her dad began restocking the Community Bookshelf. Because it is in a highly visible and well trafficked location, the bookshelf has already seen a lot of use. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Ainsley is working toward a Gold Award. When she achieves it, she’ll be able to wear the Gold Star pin below the Bronze Star she earned for creating first aid kits for Coolidge Elementary School and the Silver Star she earned for relationships she developed with residents of St. Anthony of Lansing. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)

Only 5.4% of eligible Girl Scouts earn a Gold Award, the equivalent of earning Eagle Scout as a Boy Scout. To be eligible, Scouts are required to “find an issue in [their] community or the world that [they] care about,” and develop a plan to improve the problem. Each project requires at least 80 hours of work and planning and must be approved by the individual’s Girl Scout council.

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