Special to the News-Herald

Senior Girl Scout Anna Catherine Dugan, from Troop 5563 in Suffolk, and a Girl Scout for 12 years, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award – Girl Scouting’s highest achievement.

With a love for children, and with the help of family and friends, Dugan set out to create 60 “Bundles of Snuggles” to donate to Obici Hospital.

In each of the bundles, Dugan included a baby blanket, a small baby toy, and information about Girl and Boy Scouting.

Dugan also created care packages for parents, and siblings.

By donating these bundles, Dugan hoped to get more girls and boys to join Scouting and receive the same opportunities that she did.

When asked what Girl Scouts has done for her, Dugan said, “(It) has taught me leadership, courage, and other skills I might not have learned otherwise. It is the reason I love to serve and make people’s lives that are less fortunate than mine, better.”

Dugan is the daughter of Ken and Joyce Dugan, and attends King’s Fork High School.

The Gold Award requires the completion of a community service project of at least 60 hours.

Annually, about 3,000 young women nationally — or about 6 percent of Senior Girl Scouts — earn this award

The Gold Award pin is a symbol of strength of character, leadership, service and outstanding accomplishment.

The rays emanating from the trefoil represent reaching out to the community, the Girl Scout influence on the wider community, and the interdependence of Girl Scouting and thecommunity.

Girl Scouting helps cultivate values, social conscience, and self-esteem in young girls, while also teaching them critical life skills that will enable them to succeed as adults.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

The Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast, a United Way agency, serves nearly 17,000 girls ages 5-17 throughout southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.