In a private ceremony at DiMaggio's La Dolce Casa in Tamaqua on Nov. 22, Rachael Elizabeth Paisley received the highest award in the Girl Scouts organization.

Rachael's parents, Nancy and Karl, and her brother Justin accompanied her to the event.Rachael, 18, attends Tamaqua High School and has been actively participating in the Girls Scouts program since the age of 6. She was interested in the fun trips and activities offered by the national organization, and today enjoys the highest honor for her earnest efforts and resolve.When Rachael was 6, she donated her hair to "Locks of Love" in honor of her grandmother who died of breast cancer, and again at age 12, in honor of her grandfather who died of lung cancer.Since Rachael was no stranger to the effects of cancer, it was only natural that she decided to focus her final Girl Scout project to "Raising Breast Cancer Awareness". After earning her "Silver Award" and completing a "Journey" program among other prerequisites, she then submitted her proposal to complete 80 hours of a final "Gold Award" project with the Girl Scouts Board.The project had to be sustainable and benefit the community far beyond her involvement, which is what makes the Gold Award not so easy to attain. October 2013 then marks the beginning of a yearlong project, a series of community events and activities to raise awareness for cancer that included among other things a "Pink Hair Day" at a salon in Tamaqua, the distribution of 400 hand-painted pink light bulbs to Broad Street residences and businesses, a "Pink Walk," a "Poster" contest, decorating the whole town pink, and writing, editing, printing, and distributing a brochure on inflammatory breast cancer.Attending the ceremony and presenting certificates of recognition and achievement were state Sen. David Argall, who took time on his birthday to be part of the ceremony's opening, Tamaqua Mayor Christian P. Morrison, and state Rep. Jerry Knowles, who noted in his remarks that he has been to 147 Boy Scouts Eagle Award ceremonies, but this one is only his third Girl Scouts Gold Award ceremony in the area, which makes Rachael a true beacon of excellence and pride for the region.Also addressing the ceremony audience was the Girl Scouts In The Heart Of Pennsylvania Membership Associate Elaina Elmore, and Gold Award project adviser Tara Goho, who presented Rachael with the Gold Award pin.Rachael enjoys planning events and aspires to major in hotel, restaurant, and tourism management in college, and hopes to be accepted to East Stroudsburg University. She plans to continue with the Girl Scouts organization as a leader and volunteer for the rest of her life.