Young patients visiting the Patient-Centered Medical Home at Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital can now enjoy a good book while waiting for appointments thanks to local Girl Scouts at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Members of Girl Scout Troop 2101 recently donated bookshelves filled with children's books to the family medicine waiting area as part of a literacy-focused community service project supporting their pursuit of the highest honor available to Girl Scout Juniors.

The project, titled The Fort Polk ABCs, challenged the girls to identify a community need and develop a lasting solution. To complete the project, the troop partnered with Allen Memorial Library, held a book donation drive, built bookshelves, and wrote a children's book designed to introduce military kids to Fort Polk and the surrounding community.

"The girls are working toward their Bronze Award, which is a community action project," said Chelsea Chavez, troop leader for Troop 2101. "The goal is to identify a need in the community and create a project that helps address it."

"We really wanted to create a safe spot, especially for new kiddos who PCS in and don't know anything about the installation yet," Chavez said. "One of the first things Families do when they arrive is establish medical care, so hopefully this provides some comfort while they're visiting a new doctor and a new installation."

For Sawyer Mosqueda and Morgan Conrad, both Junior Girl Scouts in Troop 2101, the project was an opportunity to share their love of reading with other children in the community.

"I hope it helps people like reading again," Mosqueda said.

Conrad said she hopes the bookshelves encourage young readers to pick up a book and enjoy reading while visiting the clinic.

The bookshelves contain a variety of children's titles donated by community members and supporters across the installation. Each book includes a label identifying it as a donation from Troop 2101.

Lt. Col. Ralph Salazar, deputy commander for quality and safety at BJACH, said the project demonstrates how community partnerships can enhance the patient experience for military Families.

"This project reflects the strength of our military community and demonstrates how even our youngest volunteers can make a meaningful difference," Salazar said. "These bookshelves help create a more welcoming environment for our patients and Families while encouraging a lifelong love of reading."

The bookshelves will remain available in the Patient-Centered Medical Home waiting area, providing young readers with stories to enjoy while waiting for appointments and encouraging Families to explore the resources available through Allen Memorial Library.