Dixon Girl Scouts to Wash Cars Saturday For Dream Cruise

Before the Girl Scouts of Dixon’s Troop 1225 sail away to Mexico, they are going to need to wash a lot of cars.

But the teens are no strangers to hard work.

Ever since they were young children, they have been learning, growing and working together as members of the Girls Scouts. Their planned trip to Ensenada, Mexico, aboard a cruise ship has been all they can think about lately, said Shannon Miner, 17, and Megan Paxton, 16, both juniors at Dixon High School.

“It’s a celebratory and exploratory trip,” Paxton said. “It’s something we’ve been looking forward to since kindergarten.”

Years of selling Girl Scouts cookies and doing similar fundraising has yielded them enough money for a deposit on the one-week cruise planned in June. Now, they are just $340 shy of their goal and this is where Dixon can help.

The girls will be washing cars at Ace Hardware, 1505 North First St., on Saturday, May 19, from 9 a.m., to 1 p.m., to help them raise the remaining funds for their cruise. The girls are not asking for a set fee for the car washes, but are asking for a donation -- perhaps $5 or more.

“The main thing that we are trying to accomplish in this trip is to celebrate being together so long and experience the world outside of Dixon,” Paxton said.

Paxton met her good friend and fellow scout Miner when the girls were Brownies, the second age group of Girls Scouts membership, ages 2nd to 3rd grade.

Through the years Miner and Paxton – along with fellow scouts Katie Ganaway, Adri Scholton, Rachel Stalie, Kaycie Reeb and Mykayla Guerra – have forged an unbreakable bond of friendship through scouting.

Asked what she likes most about being in the Girl Scouts, Miner said, “It gives us a lot of opportunities, gives us new experiences.”

“It teaches you leadership skills,” Paxton added.

It was those leadership skills that helped Paxton and Miner attain the coveted Silver Star Award, the highest award that Girl Scouts cadets can achieve, by doing a fitness education seminar a Northwest Park a year and a half ago. The girls, now in the ambassador age group, recall that it was one of their biggest challenges, but one that they overcame by relying on one another and putting their scouting skills to use.

It’s in that same spirit of camaraderie and fellowship that the girls hope to wash about 100 cars Saturday, May 19, Paxton said. But if you are not able to make the fundraiser, you can still donate to their cause by e-mailing tpaxton@pacbell.net or calling (707) 678-0737.

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