Girl Scouts, their own pinewood derby?
April 11, 2008
Oak Ridge — After spending the last six years watching her brothers create wonderful handmade cars with their dad, and race them with everyone cheering on, Allison Borrelii finally asked her mother why the Girl Scouts didn’t have their own pinewood derby. This was the inspiration for a Daddy Daughter Pinewood Derby that the girls hope to make an annual event. Allison’s mother, Andrea Borrelli, leader of Troop 185, including Allison and 18 other fourth-grade girls at Paradise Knoll School in Oak Ridge, immediately began planning the event.Awards winners were:
Every troop with children from their elementary school was invited. Enthusiasm for this new event was great, and the registrations poured in. It was decided that the refreshments stand at the event would benefit the Paradise Knoll School Playground, which is in need of replacement. Troop 294 volunteered to bring baked goods, and other parents offered to bring supplies. Shop Rite donated a voucher to purchase hot dogs, buns and more. Lakeland bank sent a donation as well. Indianapolis 500 race car driver and Girl Scout patron Sarah Fisher sent autographed posters for each girl.
For speed, 1st place went to Amanda Seugling; 2nd Place to Kaitlyn Klosz, and 3rd place to Grace Lemanowicz.
For style, the winners were: Fastest Looking, Dakota Vigh; Most Original, Rachel Lyons; Most Colorful, Lindsey VanNortwick; Sportiest, Lauren Peterson; Spirit of Girl Scouts: Allison Borrelli; and the crowd’s favorite, which looked like a pinball machine, was created by Katie Villalobos.
One of the highlights of the event, which was held on March 30 at the Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church Parish Hall, was when Sam Burlum and his teammate Tommy Vigh Jr. of Tommy Vigh Jr. Racing arrived with their 1981 Ump Dirt Car Street Stock Camaro, which races at Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, N.Y. The girls climbed in and the cameras came out.
In all, 41 racers attended the derby and had a very exciting time.
April 11, 2008 at 8:41 pm
The Girls of the old A5 Service Unit in Centre County PA have been doing this event since 1998… for the same reason.
Our Daughter watched her little brother build and race his first car in 2nd grade, she was in 4th at the time and said… Mommy - why don’t the Girl Scouts race cars? Seeing no reason why they shouldn’t or couldn’t we asked the Boy Scout Pack if we could use their track (a beautiful antique 1952 wooden track) and in the spring 1998 they began racing. First year was a little slow, only 25 racers.. but it caught on and soon there were over 125 racers.
I’ll never forget watching one Dad’s face, who was the father of only daughters and so excited to be helping his daughters make cars, when his little girl shows him her design…. It was a ballet slipper… her best friend had him help her cut out “a paintbrush”… Both were cute as could be and Dad really enjoyed the event! If I recall correctly, the slipper came in second overall right behind a spotted cow! The girls do it in style!!! The Cubs set up and practiced and registered on Friday evenings and raced Saturday moring and afternoon, the girls came in that evening and practiced and registered and then came in Sunday to race! With 125 racers were were running all day!
Hope all other communities can set this up for the girls… Ours was open to all Brownies and higher, Daisy Girl Scouts - like the Tigers in the Pack we were in.. were encouraged to come for the registrations and practice time … there were always previous years cars they could race then, but they didn’t race.