IMAGE GALLERY: Scouts Turn Styrofoam to Silver

Bhargavi Ram and Kaleigh Wright, Westborough Girl Scout Cadettes, achieved the Girl Scout Silver Award by organizing Reduce, Reuse, ReFoamIt! Styrofoam recycling event on Saturday, March 24 at the on East Main Street. By the end of the event, Bhargavi and Kaleigh counted 128 cars, mostly from Westborough, and each with Styrofoam to donate.

The Silver Award is the highest award that may be achieved by a Girl Scout Cadette. 7th graders, Bhargavi and Kaleigh are members of Westborough's Troop 30555, led by Julie Baldwin with assistance from Nancy Wright and Bryna Dudek.

Bhargavi and Kaleigh worked with Framingham based company ReFoamIt, which supplied a trailer in which the foam was collected and then transported it to KWD Warehouse in North Smithfield, RI. At KWD, the foam will be compressed into heavy blocks. Kaleigh explained, "Styrofoam is 98 percent air."

According to Dave Sherman, who co-owns ReFoamIt with his wife Barbara, "The blocks are converted into pellets, which are used in the automotive, house molding, and golf course industries, and to make plastic picture frames."

On the scene at the recycling event, Paul McNulty told Westborough Patch, "Foam recycling is something new and something we should do. I hope it becomes a permanent fixture, either here or at ."

Bhargavi and Kaleigh scheduled a second collection on Sept. 29, to be held in conjunction with the town's Hazardous Waste Day.

Sponsored by Central One Federal Union

Bhargavi and Kaleigh knew that they wanted their Silver Award project to relate to the environment. A series of fortuitous events led to the girl’s recycling effort and its funding by Central One Federal Credit Union. Here's the story:

1. In May 2011, Kaleigh's aunt, Jane Walsh, led a ReFoamIt recycling event for the Northborough Junior Woman's Club.
2. Bhargavi and Kaleigh went to the event to help.
3. Dave Kaiser, manager of the Westborough branch of the Central One Federal Credit Union, stopped by the Northborough event to drop off some foam.
4. There, he met Kaleigh, who shared the girls' story. 
5. Bhargavi and Kaleigh got Kaiser's contact information from Walsh and contacted him about sponsorship in Westborough.
6. Bhargavi and Kaleigh contacted Barbara and Dave Sherman to set up the ReFoamIt event in Westborough. The Shermans served as the girls' Silver Award advisors.

Publicizing the Event

Bhargavi and Kaleigh have worked since last spring to raise awareness for their event. They filmed a public service announcement that was shown on They also created a Facebook page called R3: Reduce, Reuse, ReFoamIt. The girls handed out flyers at school and around town, wrote articles, and worked with ReFoamIt.

Toi Fiore, Membership Development Specialist for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, said, "These are just kids and they are teaching adults about recycling Styrofoam... I think that's great."

Goal is to Raise $2,000

According to Bhargavi, she and Kaleigh intend to raise $2,000 to fund two Styrofoam collections a year for the next 5 years. Bhargavi said, "We are more than half-way there."

The girls were awarded a grant from the Tufts Cummings Service Fund. They also received funding for this event from Central One Federal Credit Union, and they earned over $500 at a yard sale. More than $400 in contributions were collected on the day of the foam drive as well.

Bhargavi and Kaleigh Ask You To "Like It"

Two determined Girl Scouts, Bhargavi and Kaleigh are committed to continuing their foam recycling efforts, even after they receive their Silver Awards. According to Nancy Wright, "We'd really appreciate it if people would "like" the R3 Facebook page." Updated information will be posted between now and the next collection date. Also, fundraising events will continue to be publicized.

A Note of Thanks

Bhargavi and Kaleigh would like to thank the leaders and girls from their Troop 30555, as well as everyone else who volunteered to make this event a success.

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