Girl Scouts starstruck

By Chris Rosenblum

Editor's note: This is the first of five weekly columns the Centre Daily Times is debuting this week, each focusing on community life and activities in a different region of Centre County.

Cue spotlight on Bald Eagle Valley.

Welcome to the debut of a weekly column devoted to highlighting achievements and happenings from Port Matilda to Clarence. Here you’ll read tidbits about valley and Mountaintop residents — people like the Troop 11 Girl Scouts from the Snow Shoe area.

Their recent cookie campaign netted about $500, not enough to send the 18 girls on a New York City trip, as they’d hoped, or to claim the grand prize, a Wii. And yet, they’re happy. Why the smiles? Of the 970 boxes they sold, a dozen went to a special customer.

Actress Noelle Beck — “Lily” on the soap “As The World Turns” — sent a $42 check for four boxes each of Trefoils, Samoas and Thin Mints. The deal, it seems, was too sweet to refuse.

Nine-year-old Shianne Fults, of Moshannon, made the pitch.

She sent Beck an e-mail asking for help to reach New York. The same request went to other celebrities — Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, Jessica Leccia from “Guiding Light” and Oprah Winfrey. Noted Girl Scout cookie fiend Donald Trump also was contacted.

Perhaps Trump’s slimming down for the beach. Maybe neighbors and coworkers had already hit up the others.

Only Beck responded. “Hi Shianne, I hope I’m not too late to order cookies, and I’m looking forward to having some,” Beck wrote back.

That sent the Fults household into a tizzy — though Shianne’s younger sister, Cassie, felt miffed not to hear from Hannah Montana.

“It was wonderful,” said their mother, Terri Fults, the troop leader. “(Shianne) had thought of the idea. I mean, I didn’t want to tell her no, but I was thinking: ‘Yeah, right.’ So it was really exciting, and I was glad because it made it all worthwhile in the end.”

You’d think a memorable keepsake for the troop scrapbook would be enough. But no: The girls wanted one more, itsy-bitsy favor. Could they have a photo, please, of Beck eating her cookies?

They’re still waiting. Charity may have limits.

Weighty accomplishment

Now for some weighty news: Bald Eagle Area High School students turned in strong performances last month at their club’s first lifting meet.

Derek Eckley, Chris Lohr and Edwin McMillin set national records for their age classes at the Greater Johnstown Single Lift Open on Feb. 21. They belong to the newly-created BEA Power Lifting Club, the “BEA Iron Eagles.”

Eckley handled 135 pounds in the squat and Lohr benched 135 pounds, both in the 12-13 age group. McMillin, in the 15-16 group, managed a squat of 280 pounds.

Colton Housel, Ethan Lucas, Jonathan McClure and Nate Sharkey also pumped iron. Overall, the club notched 11 first places and three seconds.

Chris Rosenblum can be reached at 231-4620.