By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Five local Girl Scout troops earned top honors from the Alabaster mayor during a recent City Council meeting after they volunteered dozens of hours to help their community.

During the council’s July 11 meeting, Alabaster Mayor Marty Handlon presented proclamations honoring Alyssa O’Rear, Jessie Edwards, Shelby Stafford, Isabelle Goolsby and Abbi Olliff, all of who are members of Girl Scout Troop 287.

Each of the Girl Scouts received an Alabaster Mayor’s Coin, a copy of the proclamation and plenty of applause from the friends and family members packing the meeting room.

“I’m honored to be able to present you with these awards,” Handlon told the girls.

Each of the Girl Scouts dedicated many hours to making a difference in the community and completed multiple projects to help those in need:

-O’Rear earned the Bronze Presidential Volunteer Service Award for completing more than 50 hours of community service in 2015, and she has attained the Girl Scout Silver Award.

O’Rear and Goolsby worked to identify, develop and complete a Take Action service project, which involved participating in crafts with and making blankets for the residents of the Knowlwood Assisted Living Facility in Montevallo.

-In addition to working with O’Rear on the Take Action service project, Goolsby has also earned the Girl Scout’s Silver Award and the Silver Presidential Volunteer Service Award for completing more than 75 hours of community service in 2015.

-Edwards has earned the Girl Scout Silver Award the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award for completing more than 100 hours of community service in 2015.

Edwards worked with Stafford and Olliff to identify, develop and complete a Take Action service project to collect books and build bookshelves for the Alabaster-based Kids First Awareness Community Center.

-In addition to working with Edwards and Olliff on the Take Action volunteer project, Stafford has also earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and the Bronze Presidential Volunteer Service Award for completing more than 50 hours of community service in 2015.

-Olliff worked with Edwards and Stafford to complete the Take Action volunteer project and earned the Girl Scout Silver Award.