APRIL 2021 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 43
PRESS PETS
GIRL SCOUTS UPCYCLE TOYS FROM T-SHIRTS BY ALLISON MATOS
When the girls in the Central Park
Service Unit of the Girl Scouts of Nassau
County found themselves with
300 misprinted T-shirts with an extra
“S” on them, they put their training to
work and came up with a plan.
Rather than toss the shirts, the Service
Unit turned them into pullie toys for
homeless animals.
“This seemed like an easy fix since all
you need is a scissor and a few animal
shelters/rescues to accept the donations,”
says Tracy Gorman, Service
Unit Volunteer Manager.
The timing seemed perfect as one of the
unit’s Junior troops, Troop 3400, was
in the process of earning its bronze
award centered around animal care.
A big event known as Pullies4thePaws
for all troops and shelter/rescue representatives
was planned for March 2020.
Then Covid-19 hit. Not only
were the Girl Scouts not able to
meet in person to make the pullies,
but shelters were unable
to accept homemade donations.
“With the Girl Scouts completely
remote, we decided to
make this part of an at-home
activity for leaders to do with
their troops at their convenience,”
says Gorman. “Once
the pullies are complete, they
are dropped off at a central
location and will be donated
to several shelters/rescues
across Long Island.”
The pullies will provide hundreds
of homeless animals
with a sense of security,
offering them comfort in an
often new and sometimes
frightening environment.
Due to a T-shirt’s destructible
fabric, pullies of this nature
are best for small dogs and cats, as a
large dog is more likely to rip them
apart and swallow the pieces. But
there are plenty of pint-sized pups
and kitties that will soon receive
a handmade gift from the Central
Park Girl Scouts in hopes of making
their stay at a shelter feel a little
more like home.
In addition to the pullie collection,
the Service Unit is collecting pet
food for the local pet pantry Paw
it Forward. The Central Park
Service Unit brings girls together
from Plainview-Old Bethpage
and Bethpage school districts and
will accept homemade pullies and
food donations from Girl Scouts
and non-scouts alike. If you are
interested in making a homemade
pullie, you can check out their
how-to video here: youtube.com/
watch?v=PuM-x8L4fQM&t=7s.
To help with donations, contact
troop3400@gmail.com
Cookie, a Town of Smithtown Animal Shelter resident,
playing with pullies made by the Scouts.
THEY NEED YOU
MORE THAN EVER
Thanks to your generosity, North Shore Animal
League America has saved the lives of over 1,100,000
rescue dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens.
During these uncertain times, they need you now —
more than ever! Your support will ensure that our
no-kill mission continues for the animals who’ll be
relying on us in the future.
Your tax-deductible donation helps us to bring more homeless
pets to safety, provide them with critical medical care, and find
them loving, responsible homes.
DONATE TODAY!
Over 75 years
animalleague.org/pleasegive
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