KANNAPOLIS ó Duke University student Abigail “Abbey” Bucher was honored Thursday at the 6th Annual Cabarrus and Rowan County Friends of Girl Scouting and Young Woman of Distinction Award Luncheon.
Bucher, of Rowan County, was recognized for earning her Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, which requires a multi-year commitment to community service and development.
After volunteering with the Special Olympics, Bucher wanted her Gold Award project to help severely handicapped children. She made laminated nametags for each special needs student in the Salisbury-Rowan School System to provide quick access to basic emergency contact and medical information.
She worked with parents and teachers to get permission and information and assembled volunteers to make the tags. The best part for Bucher was visiting the children. Some of them liked having a nametag so people would know them by name even if they could not communicate verbally.
“We are so proud of Abbey for all she has accomplished so far in her life,” said Sally Daley, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts, Hornets’ Nest Council. “She is an example to all of us of what we can accomplish through hard work and dedication.”
Bucher was selected from a pool of Gold Award recipients who had earned their awards within the past 10 years and have gone on to make a direct and powerful impact on their communities.
A 2007 graduate of West Rowan High School, Bucher is working toward her undergraduate degree from Duke University in environmental sciences and policy.
Bucher regards her Girl Scout experience highly, reflecting on the benefits and lessons learned over the years. It was, she shared, what has helped her become the person she is today, teaching her the values, leadership skills, respect for others, compassion and friendship needed to succeed.