Girl Scouts use cookie sale money to make 3D-printed pediatric wheelchair
The third-graders were inspired after a visit to a long-term care residence.
A group of Girl Scouts is using its cookie sale proceeds to benefit other children while learning new skills along the way.
A Girl Scout troop of eight third-grade students in Dorchester, Massachusetts, used nearly $200 of its profits from this year's cookie sales to make a 3D-printed toddler mobility trainer, which is a type of wheelchair for kids with mobility challenges.
The girls' troop leader, Corinne Curran, told ABC News the wheelchair took about 200 hours to print using a 3D printer and less than an hour for the troop to build.
She said the girls were inspired to build a wheelchair for a fellow child after taking a troop visit to Curran's employer, The Boston Home, a residential care center for adults with neurological conditions.
Curran said the troop members, which include her daughter, were "obsessed" with wheelchairs after their visit and were all on board when they learned they could make their own child-sized wheelchair with 3D-printed parts.
"They were so excited," Curran said, adding, "One of the cool parts about Girl Scouts is they know they earn this money and they can see where it's going and how they can use it to do good, make the world a better place."
According to the Girl Scouts, profits from a troop's cookie sales go directly to the troop and to their local Girl Scout council. Each troop may decide how the money is used, whether for troop activities, trips, or community service projects.
The multicolored mobility trainer the Girl Scouts built features an adjustable headrest, cup holder, a removable push handle and more, according to Curran.
In a statement to ABC News, the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts and Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Bonnie Barczykowski said they were "proud" to see the Dorchester troop put its cookie sale money toward making the world a better place.
"They're using their cookie earnings selflessly to give back, and in the process they're not just building skills--they're making a real difference in their communities," Barczykowski said. "What makes it even more powerful is that this kind of impact grows out of experiences they genuinely enjoy--moments of discovery, friendship, and confidence as they figure out who they are and what they care about."
"Their initiative reflects the very heart of our mission: building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place," the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts added. "By choosing to invest their hard-earned cookie proceeds in materials for a 3D printer to create wheelchairs for children, they are demonstrating the power of bringing together entrepreneurship, STEM, and service to make a meaningful difference in their community."
Overall, Curran said the Girl Scouts embraced the project and are excited to make more wheelchairs in the near future.
"We do what the girls want to do, and this was a huge project for them. They were so excited about it," Curran said. "They want to make another one that is multiple shades of violet. And they also said that they want to build [a power wheelchair]."
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