Colleen Layton couldn't contain her enthusiasm when saying goodbye to Girl Scout Troop 1965. "It's like having Wal-Mart and Sam's Club and the grocery store all laid out for me to pick and choose from," she said, waving goodbye and gesturing toward all the donations the girls had gathered together and delivered to the doorstep of Frisky's Wildlife and Primate Sanctuary May 2.

The Girl Scouts bestowing the bounty belong to the Lisbon Cluster and most are sixth-grade students at Glenwood Middle School. The troop is a large one, consisting of 22 girls, and it took a while for everyone to agree on a specific charity to support for their bronze award service project. The bronze is the highest award that junior girls scouts can achieve.

Troop leader Linda Daigle left as much of the decision-making process as possible up to the girls.

"With 22 minds thinking, we came up with lots and lots of ideas," she said. "But they were all interested in doing an animal organization."

Frisky's, in Woodstock, was founded by Layton in 1970. Frisky's cares for injured and orphaned wildlife, returning them back to their natural habitat whenever possible. The sanctuary also serves as a permanent residence for a number of displaced primates and exotic wildlife.

Chris McComas, whose daughter Grace belongs to Troop 1965, grew up nearby Frisky's.

"It's been here as long as I can remember. ... It's a great resource for people who care about wildlife," she said. McComas added she personally had cause to come to the sanctuary last year for help when the family's cat brought home an injured baby rabbit that needed special care.

The Girl Scouts consulted Frisky's Web site to determine which supplies were most needed at the facility. They found a long wish list containing varied items such as paper towels, baby bottles, syringes, kitty litter, canned fruit and blankets.

Turning toward neighbors and friends for help in obtaining the required items, the scouts placed flyers in mailboxes asking for donations, held a bake sale and hosted a party at Lisbon Elementary School where the price of admission was a donated item for Frisky's.

Their efforts paid off in the final tally: the troop filled two pick-up trucks and a minivan full of supplies to donate.

"I have to admit, I was a little concerned. I didn't know how much the community would contribute," Daigle said. "But they've really risen to the occasion. When it's kids from your own community, you're probably more apt to want to help out."

Cleaning supplies are always in demand at Frisky's and the donated supplies included 30 boxes of trash bags, 30 bottles of bleach, 56 bottles of wipes and 100 rolls of paper towels.

"We always need paper towels, of course, because we're always cleaning up," said Layton. "We go through four to five rolls a day. This is something we never have enough of."

Layton is grateful for the support she received from the troop and arranged to give them a special tour of the facilities. The scouts were split into smaller groups and visited at different times so as not to overstimulate the animals who reside there. Layton is protective of her menagerie of resident animals, noting Frisky's is their home.

"The scouts, they do so much for Frisky's. ... We show them around and let them see who we are and what we do and why we do it," she said. "We want it to all be without question, so that they know what they're supporting."

For more information on Frisky's Wildlife and Primate Sanctuary, go to www.friskys.org.

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