COLUSA, CA (MPG) – Danica Chavez has spent most of her youthful life as a Girl Scout.
The 17-year-old Girl Scout Ambassador is now taking her final step to receive the organization’s highest honor by hosting a shoe drive, hoping it will warm the hearts – and the feet – of others in the community.
Chavez, who is in her last year of scouting with Colusa Troop No. 1764, chose the Christmas and New Year holidays when people are shopping for new shoes or cleaning out their closets to collect shoes and socks for people in need.
“My goal is 50 pairs of shoes and 25 pairs of socks,” Chavez said. “The shoes can be new or gently used. The socks need to be brand new.”
The Gold Award, created by the Girl Scout Organization in 1916, is the highest award available to Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts. Chavez started in the Colusa Girl Scouts 13 years ago while in kindergarten. Now a senior at Colusa High School, her journey from Daisy to Ambassador – and ultimately a Gold Award – has taken her down a colorful journey through silver, bronze, and rose group projects that included providing bags for foster youth, reading to kids at the Colusa Branch Library, and hosting a cooking academy for younger scouts.
Chavez’s last year in the organization will include serving out her second term as Ambassador and youth advisor to the Board of Directors for the Heart of Central California Girl Scouts.
For her Gold Project, the equivalent to the Boy Scout Eagle Project, Chavez placed collection barrels at the Colusa Fire Department, Burchfield Primary School, Egling Middle School, in Colusa, and at Nor Cal Supreme Sports Center in Yuba City. She will be collecting donations through Dec. 31 and will distribute the shoes and socks to area homeless advocates, shelters, and people in need.
Chavez said any undistributed shoes will go to Colusa Basketball Coach Brian Davis’ Be Xtra Sneaker Love program, which collects shoes, blankets, and books for people in need.
“Mr. Davis has been very successful with his program and plans to continue it,” Chavez said.
Chavez is the daughter of Daniel and Sarah Chavez of Colusa. She is a successful track and basketball player. As one of Colusa RedHawks’ all-time leading scorers, the Sacramento Valley League recognized Chavez in 2024 as the Most Valuable Player after her team’s undefeated season and championship run.
Chavez plans to tie her Girl Scout Gold Project to her senior project, which has its own set of requirements for graduation. After high school, Chavez plans to attend Butte College, where she plans to play basketball and study kinesiology.