Scouts of both genders prepare for Derby

The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts usually have separate activities, but they came together recently to help each other prepare for a traditional event for both groups.

Girl Scout Troop 5292 got together with the Driver Boy Scouts this weekend for a derby clinic. The Boy Scouts and all the Scouts’ fathers brought saws, sanders, drills and other power tools to help the girls use while making the cars for their Powderpuff Derby, coming up on Feb. 24.

“It was a unique experience, because a lot of events, the moms and daughters get together, but the dads don’t get involved,” said Cheryl Hendricks, troop coordinator for the Girl Scouts. “It was so neat to see the dads working with the girls.”

The Pinewood Derby is a favorite event for many Boy Scout troops. The Boy Scouts build small cars, which are supposed to weigh no more than five ounces, out of wood, and then they decorate them and race them on a track.

“People get very creative with these cars,” Hendricks said.

At the event on Saturday, the girls chose their patterns and drew them on the derby cars. The fathers then sawed the cars out and sanded them.

The girls then ensured their car parts were the correct weight. They will be decorated later at home.

“It just was something different and exciting for the girls,” Hendricks said. “They just really got into it.”

Hendricks said the troops have done some events together before. Last month, the boys invited the girls to their annual skating event. They also have gone caroling together in Driver before.

Hendricks said many of the boys and fathers stayed an hour and a half after the event was supposed to end to finish helping the girls with their cars.

“We want to thank the boys for their time and efforts,” she said. “It shows the girls that the boys and the girls can work together for a common goal.”