Girl Scout helping a dying bat population with bat boxes

Yahoo

20-05-2025

DELAWARE WATER GAP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Girl Scouts are known for helping the community and selling cookies, but embracing bats? That is exactly what is behind a local Girl Scout's mission in the Poconos.
Kendra Collins is not supervising a major construction project, but she hopes what she is teaching girls to build brings major benefits.
'It really goes back to loving the unloved, you know, because people don't like bats. They're scary, you know,' said Kendra.
But those wing-thinged, flying mammals are beneficial to the environment. Bats consume large amounts of insects, including many agricultural pests. They are also considered crucial in pollination and spreading seeds.
'There used to be, like, millions upon millions of bats,' Kendra explained.
But that was before a virus called 'white nose syndrome' emerged nearly two decades ago.It decimated the bat population, especially in Pennsylvania.
'It went down to 15,000. There used to be way more, and that's a big issue, I feel that I want to combat myself,' said Kendra.
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That's why Kendra learned to build bat boxes to give the nocturnal creatures a safe place to multiply.
'It's just a flat box, you drill some holes for them to breathe. You've got to waterproof it. You know, that bad fungus, and it's just drilling little lines for them to hold onto. Easy peasy. Anyone can make one,' Kendra explained.
Kendra has turned protecting bats and other critters into a Girl Scout Gold Award project in hopes of achieving the highest honor given to a Girl Scout.
Her advisor says Kendra's effort checks a lot of boxes.
'It had to make a difference in the community, then had to have longevity in the ecosystem. It had to be well thought out and planned, and who their target audience was. It had to show leadership qualities,' Ann Summa, Kendra's advisor and adjunct educator at Kettle Creek Environmental Center, said.
She says Kendra exhibits those qualities every time she focuses on nature.
'You can just tell she takes a closer look at everything she finds,' Summa said.
While earning a Girl Scout Gold Award would be quite a personal accomplishment, it is pretty clear that it is not Kendra's only motivation.
'Nature is important. You've got to take care of it. If you're not stepping your foot in to take care of them, who's going to do it?' Kendra said.
Kendra says she plans to share with others her passion for nature after graduating from high school.
Here's to you, Kendra.
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