Cashia Gauci, center, was recognized by the Girl Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands with the Girl Scouts Gold Award, the highest recognition in girl scouting. Gauci is pictured with Newberry Troop 990 leaders Melissa Sheppard, left, and Stephanie Senn, right.
Courtesy photo
NEWBERRY — The Girl Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands presented Newberry resident Cashia Gauci with the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest recognition for achievement in girl scouting for grades nine through 12.
The award recognizes girls who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects that address important community needs.
For Gauci’s leadership project, she addressed the issue of homeless/abandoned cats needing shelter.
“Cat Haven Development” is a community project, involving the students at Newberry Career Center, Willingham and Sons hardware store, Sherwin Williams Paint and St. Francis of Assisi Church to address a community problem: abandoned and homeless cats.
Gauci said she used what she learned in Girl Scouts to turn her idea into a design plan. She presented her plan to Newberry City Council, Newberry Humane Society, St. Francis church and community businesses. Gauci was able to get two cat houses built that sheltered four cats each. With the first two houses being sold, four new cat houses are able to be built, coming Fall 2024.
Gauci has been a Girl Scout member for 11 years and is the daughter of Daniela and Richard Gauci of Newberry.