Lee County resident and University of South Florida student Catlin Faust has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, Home Sweet Home.

While volunteering at the Calusa Nature Center, Catlin learned of a critical need at the center to renovate many of their animal habitats, in keeping with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission standards. For her Gold Award project, she chose to focus on the habitat for Reagan the Raccoon.

Catlin and her small team drew plans for an improved and extended habitat enclosure, gathered the needed tools and supplies, and constructed Reagan’s new home. As a result, Reagan now has a larger area to roam and explore, which also allows center visitors to observe him more freely.

“Those who benefit from my project are not only the animals but the people who run the center as well as those who come to visit and volunteer,” Catlin said.

The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. Open only to girls in high school, this prestigious award recognizes girls who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through remarkable Take-Action projects with sustainable impact in their communities. 2016 marks the 100^th anniversary of the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Be inspired and learn more about Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida’s other 2016 Gold Award recipients.

~Lori Tomlinson is the Manager of Communications and Marketing for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.