By Mary O’KEEFE

Girl Scout Troop 680-1 was busy on Sunday working on its Bronze Award by helping to create a buzz for the proposed Crescenta Valley dog park.

The fourth grade girls come from several elementary schools throughout La Crescenta and were given a choice of helping animals, humans or plants in the Crescenta Valley to meet the award requirements. The dog park was a natural choice.

“We love animals,” said scout Alaina Furstenberg.

Visitors at their booth at the Harvest Market could “Make a Mutt” bookmark or have their face painted.  The scouts handed out CV dog park information and answered questions about the proposed park.

The park is championed by CV Town Council members Steve Pierce and Cheryl Davis. The plan is to have an area at CV Park sectioned off for an off-the-leash play area for dogs. The park has been in the planning stage for awhile but is moving forward.

Davis said troop leader Adrienne Griffin had contacted her in her search for an animal project.

“I suggested this and the girls have really supported it,” Davis said.

The Bronze Award is given for completion of a project that will help the community and foster leadership within the Girl Scouts.

“They have to earn two badges related to their project,” Griffin said.

The girls must prepare and organize what they will do for their project and involve a community outreach event. The Harvest Market was the perfect venue.

“The girls are responsible for having at least two people put signs for the dog park in their yard,” Griffin said.

That was a task easily done especially after the girls demonstrated how much they knew about the park and gave their sales pitch on why it is so important.

“We are trying to get a dog park so the dogs can have fun,” said scout Sahar Shirbacheh.

“We want the dogs to be safe. If they have a dog park they can be in one place with other dogs,” said scout Gabriella Figueroa.

Scout Andis Griffin said the girls had learned a lot from their project.

“We learned leadership and teamwork. We have to work together,” she said.