For the Tomahawk Leader

TOMAHAWK – The Tomahawk Girls Scouts this week thanked the community for supporting its recent aluminum can drive, which financed the 19th year of Applefest, the Girl Scouts’ pie making community service event.

A release from the Girl Scouts said over 1,000 pounds of aluminum had been collected at the Girl Scouts’ can trailer parked in the parking lot of Trig’s in Tomahawk this fall.

At the event held each year at Camp Birch Trails in Irma, the girls rotate stations, learning to peel and prepare the apples and measure and mix the pie filling before moving to a station for making the crumble pie topping. When the pies have been assembled, they are then baked and set up for delivery by the girls and leaders.

“While the pies were baking and then cooling, the girls had an opportunity to take a nature hike, paint pumpkins and even experience the low ropes course at camp,” the release stated.

In a typical year, the Girl Scouts bake 60 pies, but the number of participants in the event was reduced due to COVID-19 restrictions. This year, the girls made 22 pies and two large sheet pans, a total equivalent of 34 pies, in an hour and a half.

“Some of the pies and sheet pans were then divided and individually packaged for delivery to over 90 residents at our local senior living centers,” the release said. “Sixteen pies were also delivered to area residents. The girls learned how to work together, have fun, and serve the community while putting a smile on someone’s face.”