Lillie JoAnn Ring, of Cameron, has been awarded >the Girl Scout Silver Award by Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines, which is the second highest achievement in Girl Scouting. This >award >symbolizes outstanding accomplishments and a commitment to excellence, and helps girls build skills, explore careers, gain leadership skills and make a commitment to self-improvement.

For her Girl Scout Silver Award project, Ring planted 47 trees, creating a natural walkway on the trails at Memorial Park. She also weeded, pruned and planted a bush and flowers in the garden at the Cameron Post Office.

Ring has been a Girl Scout since she was 9 years old and is a member of Girl Scout Troop No. 1343, advised by Mary Kathryn Doll and Gina Barber. The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award girls in grades six through nine, or who are the ages 11-14 can earn as a Cadette Girl Scout. > The Girl Scout Silver Award represents a girl's accomplishments in Girl Scouting and her community as she grows and works to improve her life and the lives of others.

Girl Scouts of the USA has a 97-year tradition of building leadership skills in girls. Girl Scout alumnae represent 70 percent of women serving in Congress and 66 percent of women of professional achievement.

Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the pre-eminent leadership development organization for girls with 3.6 million girl and adult members worldwide.

Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines serves more than 31,500 girl members and 9,000 adult members in 41 >central and eastern North Carolina counties. The council's administrative headquarters is located in Raleigh.

For information on membership or volunteer opportunities, call (919) 782-3021 or visit www.nccoastalpines.org.