Ryall, M.E. (2008, April 16). Washburn County Register, p. 19.

Milkweed seed packagers help the monarch butterfly
by Mary Ellen Ryall

The Minnesota Wisconsin Lake and Pines Girl Scouts and their leaders Laurel Lawrence and Amanda Schreiber turned out to help package milkweed seed for the monarch butterfly on Saturday morning, at the Shell Lake Public Library. Although the snow was deep; the seed packagers arrived on time and set their hearts to packaging common milkweed seed at the monthly Saturday Craft Club. Joni Christ, of the Shell Lake State Bank, offered her assistance, and Alison Ricci popped into the library saying, “Why didn’t you call me?” Alison took a seat at a children’s table and began to help the girl scouts who were busy counting seed for each package.

The group packaged approximately 300 milkweed seed packages. The monarch butterfly’s host plant seed will be available at the Earth Day/Arbor Day Planting Event on April 26, at the Lakefront Hotel Bar and Grill. Happy Tonics will have a table set up at the hotel restaurant for the seeds and other handouts. Attendees of the planting event can take a free package of seeds or make a donation to the Monarch Butterfly Habitat. After the Earth Day/Arbor Day Planting Event, visitors are invited to return home and plant a butterfly garden, thus supporting habitat for the butterfly

The girl scouts are working towards earning the My Community Badge. The group is also helping to plant the 55 bare root shrubs at the Monarch Butterfly Habitat on April 26. The purpose of the My Community Badge is to make the community beautiful and to restore habitat and beauty in a recreational area for children and adults.

To learn more about the Minnesota Wisconsin Lake and Pines Girl Scouts, call Laurel Lawrence at 731-0025. To learn more about Happy Tonics and their work on behalf of the monarch butterfly visit http://www.happytonics.org/