Lindsey Moser, Paynesville, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for her work on “30-Hour Famine,” a project she initiated, planned and in which she participated.With the help of 20 friends, Moser’s project raised $1,000 for World Vision, the international Christian relief agency. The teens fasted for 30 hours, raising money given by sponsors for each hour of fasting.
The March weekend of fasting began at 1 p.m. on a Saturday. After six hours of fasting individually, the volunteers came together at 7 p.m. at the elementary school, making use of the gymnasium, two classrooms and a break room for donated juice and water. The group conducted four student-led Bible studies throughout the 30 hours, and three youth leaders from area churches spoke at different times. Games and movies were also available, with “lights out” at 1 a.m. Moser planned activities which lasted until approximately 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Besides fasting, the group split into teams on Sunday afternoon and went door-to-door on a food scavenger hunt, collecting 50 pounds of donated food for the Paynesville Area Food Shelf. Some food items were worth more points than others, and the team that earned the most points got to “break the fast” first.
Moser said that she learned the importance of communication and leadership. She feels that her communication skills and self-confidence have grown as a result of the project.
“I learned a lot from doing this project,” she said. “I learned more about myself in those brief moments than I have at any other given point in my life.”
Moser began working on the project her sophomore year of high school. The qualifications for earning a Gold Award include earning four “interest badges” (completing eight activities in areas relating to the project), completing 30 hours of community service, completing a Girl Scout “challenge” and then completing the project itself, which must entail at least 50 hours of work.
“I knew I wanted to do a project that involved spirituality and helping others, and this turned out to be the perfect project for me,” Moser said.
The Gold Award is Girl Scout’s highest honor. Moser has been a Girl Scout for 12 years, and she is among only six percent of Senior Girl Scouts nationwide who earn the award.
Moser and Elizabeth McCarney will have their Gold Award Ceremony at the Paynesville Area Senior Center on Sunday, Aug. 16, at 2 p.m., followed by an open house. The public is invited to attend.
Moser, the daughter of Martin and Laurie Moser, plans to attend College of St. Thomas this fall to study mathematics.