1. Contact: Dean Bender OR Lena Cavanna
Thompson & Bender Blythedale Children’s Hospital
(914) 762-1900 (914) 592-7138, ext. 374
dean@thompson-bender.com lenac@blythedale.org
More Than 100 Area Girl Scouts
Participate in Workshop at Blythedale
to Learn First Hand About Challenges
Facing Individuals with Disabilities
Workshop is Part of a Program for Girl Scouts
to Earn ‘Challenges to Opportunities’ Badge
VALHALLA, NY (November 11, 2009) – More than 100 Girl Scouts from troops in
Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Dutchess counties took part in a unique workshop
today at Blythedale Children’s Hospital where they learned first hand about the physical
and mental challenges facing people with disabilities.
The Girl Scouts participating in the all-day workshop met with physical, occupational
and speech therapists from Blythedale to learn about the physical and cognitive
challenges of disabled individuals. Activities included working with therapeutic
equipment and attending talks on topics such as injury prevention.
The workshop, which is the third to be held at Blythedale, is part of a program the Girl
Scouts must complete in order to earn a badge called “Challenges to Opportunities.”

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The badge, which is available to Junior-level Girl Scouts throughout the nation, was
created and designed by the Girls Scouts of Troop 2746 from Chappaqua.
“Blythedale is very pleased to once again host this exciting and worthwhile workshop for
the Girl Scouts. Since our first workshop in 2007, the interest from Girl Scout troops in
our region has grown tremendously,” said Lena Cavanna, Director of Community
Relations at Blythedale Children‘s Hospital.
“The Girls Scouts who participate in this workshop leave with a fuller understanding of
the daily challenges of being disabled. It’s a wonderful experience and we thank
Blythedale for their commitment to this important program,” said Laura Desmarais,
Troop 2746 Leader from Chappaqua.
The Girl Scouts’ involvement with Blythedale dates back to 2001 when Troop 2746
visited the hospital as Daisy Girl Scouts to plant flowers outside the hospital. As they
moved up to the Brownie and Junior levels of Girl Scouting, the Girl Scouts continued
their volunteer work at Blythedale reading books to the preschoolers, decorating for the
holidays and making blankets for the infants.
Founded more than 100 years ago, Blythedale Children's Hospital has been a leader in
developing innovative, multi-disciplinary inpatient and ambulatory programs, as well as
a community resource for children with a variety of medical concerns and their families.
Through its inpatient, day hospital and outpatient programs, Blythedale Children's
Hospital treats more than 300 children daily, making it one of the largest children's
services in New York State. In addition, the Hospital provides diagnosis and treatment
for hundreds of outpatients with a wide range of medical difficulties. For more
information about Blythedale Children's Hospital, visit www.blythedale.org
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