OLDSMAR - Since she was young, Haylie Corcho always had an interest in veterans, probably because her grandparents served in the Army.
Corcho wanted to help a veterans-related cause, but couldn't find the right community service project. Then she learned about the Tampa Crossroads Athena House, a transitional house for homeless female veterans.
"I wanted it to look better, be more comfortable and be a place where the veterans could go and relax after a hard day of work,'' said Corcho, a rising senior at Chamberlain High School.
Corcho's project - "Beautification for Homeless Veterans'' - allowed her to receive the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, which was presented Saturday (June 9) at the Nielsen Center.
She organized volunteers to install a bench and a rock garden, while enhancing the landscaping. Her project will be sustained by the Military Network (MILNET) employee resource group at Progressive Insurance, which will coordinate an annual beautification of the Athena House.
Corcho was among 35 Gold Award recipients from the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, which comprises Citrus, Hillsborough, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Marion and Sumter counties. It recognizes sustainable and measurable service projects, which focus on community issues and require at least 80 hours of planning and implementation.
The Gold Award, available to high school-age students, is conferred to fewer than 6 percent of Girl Scouts annually. Approximately one million Girl Scouts nationwide have earned the Gold Award since its 1916 inception.
"These young ladies have educated and inspired us all,'' said Jessica Muroff, chief executive officer of GSWCF. "They give us hope for the future of this nation. They are leaders. They identified issues and problems, then found ways to help solve them.''
All of the Gold Award projects spurred inspiration. That was true of Corcho's project. Corcho's mother, Kathy, said she's inspired every day by her daughter, who also plays trumpet in the Chamberlain band while competing with the school's softball team.
"Somehow, she found time to keep working with the Girl Scouts and doing this Gold Award project,'' Corcho's mother said. "I'm very proud of her. She does a great job. She does a lot.''
Speaking of inspiration, Corcho said the Gold Award has long been an obvious goal. Her mother is the Troop 330 leader, always providing an incentive to continue Girl Scouting. And her older sister, Lindsey, received the Gold Award in 2012.
"I was sitting out there, 12 years old, and I knew then it was something I would be pursuing,'' Corcho said. "It was definitely something to shoot for. Getting to this moment is a big deal for me and I'm happy about it. I feel like it was very worthwhile and I was able to do some good.
"We always had a rule in our house. When you start something, you stick with it. You don't quit. So that's what I did, although I'm actually very, very busy with so many things. But this is a way to help people, so I'm proud to be a part of it.''
Corcho said the work was physical and demanding. But the results provided an immediate payoff.
"The feedback has been so positive from the veterans and staff,'' Corcho said. "Some of them were really surprised. One of the people who worked there didn't even know we were doing it. It looks great and the staff says they always see them (veterans) sitting on the bench. I know it has made a difference.''
Contact Joey Johnston at hillsnews@tampabay.com