“As an American Heritage Girl, I promise to love God, cherish my family, honor my country, and serve in my community.”
I am a Patriot in American Heritage Girls (AHG) Troop OH0031, a parishioner at St. Patrick Church in Columbus and am proud to recite this Oath with my troop. My friend, Libby Chenault, who is also a Patriot, and I have been reciting this Oath for 10 years since 2014. This year, our troop is celebrating its 10th year anniversary!
AHG is a faith-based scouting troop whose mission is to build women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country. With 56 girls from all over central Ohio, we are one of the biggest troops in our state. We are very blessed to have a generous and supportive charter, St. Patrick Church, in Columbus.
In 2014, Mrs. Ellen Sullivan founded our troop and selected the troop number 0031 for Proverbs 31, which describes Godly women. Our troop began with about 30 girls and their moms with no high schoolers. I will always remember being a five-year-old and giving our former pastor, Father Michael Mary Dosch, O.P., a picture of our troop that all of us girls had signed.
Our troop meets twice a month at St. Patrick Church. At meetings, we start with squads, then move into a flag ceremony and a prayer. We then break out into our five units based on age, with girls in kindergarten to high school: Pathfinders, Tenderhearts, Explorers, Pioneers and Patriots. Some of our most popular badges that girls have enjoyed earning are Cake Decorating, Crafts, Fire Safety and Fire Building and Outdoor Skills.
Service projects happen regularly. Every Memorial Day weekend, we go to St. Joseph Cemetery and place flags at veterans’ tombstones and say a prayer. Last year, our troop had over 850 hours of service! The tour of the Ohio statehouse and Ohio Supreme Court is something our unit will never forget. Other favorite troop activities are camping, horseback riding and our annual Anthony Thomas Chocolate fundraiser.
This past summer, the Pioneer and Patriots from our troop and Troop OH0516 from Hilliard St. Brendan Church went on a trip to Cedar Point and Lake Erie.
Whether it is our cereal eaten by racoons, tent camping in a huge thunderstorm or spending hours melting crayons on a grill to make buddy burners for the homeless, there is always a new adventure!
In January 2023 under the leadership of our Troop Coordinator Mrs. Leslie Wolf, our troop received the Diocese of Columbus 2023 Bishop’s Troop Award for being an outstanding Catholic troop. We also just received the National Honor Troop Award for maintaining a healthy balanced program and by meeting objectives set by AHG, Inc. This year, girls worked on earning their Eucharistic Revival Patch and many also earned their unit’s Faith Award.
Currently, Patriot Annelise Perez is working on renovating a bathroom at the Women’s Care Center to earn the highest award in AHG, the Stars and Stripes Award. Five years ago, former Patriot Genevieve Taukus earned her Stars and Stripes Award by creating a prayer garden at Damascus Catholic Mission Campus. Last year, she entered The Servants of the Lord and the Virgin Matará and is now Sister Mary Queen of Heaven! It is really special to know that she is praying for all of us.
As an active member of our troop, I have deepened my faith and have grown in virtue and leadership through AHG. I know that without AHG, I would not be the person I am today. I love leading the younger girls, growing through service and badgework, and just having fun with my sisters in Christ. I have so many great memories that I will never forget and can’t wait to make more.
Please pray for our troop along with all American Heritage Girls troops in our country and know we are praying for you.
Anne Rainer is a ninth grader who is homeschooled and attends Columbus St. Patrick Church.
