Local Girl Scout troops are joining together to pay tribute to the late Ashley Heffington The victim of a fatal motor vehicle accident on New Years Eve 2009, Heffington and her mother were struck from behind by an SUV while stopped at a red light. The man who hit them was under the influence of inhalant drugs, causing a five-vehicle accident. Heffington suffered severe brain injuries and died 12 days later at the age of nine. A memorial service was held at La Jolla Presbyterian Church in her honor. An active member of the local Girl Scouts and a fourth-grade student at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Pacific Beach, Heffington’s sudden, traumatic death shook the community. Girl Scouts from Pacific Beach and La Jolla began meeting once a month to see if their service units could create some good from the horrific tragedy. Local troop leader Evette Callahan began collecting donations from the troops to design and purchase a picnic table in Heffington’s name to be placed at Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park in Pacific Beach, one of Heffington’s favorite destinations. Since setting and accomplishing goals are one of the fundamental principles taught in Girl Scouts, sales from troops’ cookie campaigns are divided into half — one half to fund an extracurricular of the girls’ choice, like horseback riding, and the other to give back to the community in some way. Donating as much or as little money as their budgets allowed, the troops raised enough money for a picnic table and plaque, which will rest under shady trees near the playground — a location handpicked by Heffington’s mother. “We’re all sisters in Girl Scouts,” said Callahan. “That could have happened to any of our daughters.” On Sunday, April 17, the inaugural Remembrance and Recruitment Event in Honor of Ashley Heffington will take place at 1:30 p.m., with an aquamarine ribbon-cutting ceremony (Ashley’s favorite color) for the picnic table dedication. Live music will be provided by St. Paul’s choir, in which Heffington once sang. “The local Girl Scouts, the Friends of Kate Sessions Park, a committee of City Beautiful of San Diego and John Stojic, a local contractor who donated his time and skills, were all instrumental in this project,” Callahan said. Serving as an open house for local girls to learn more about Girl Scouts, the event is free to the public and will offer games, crafts, informational booths, a friendship garden, flag opening ritual, dedication ceremony, music and more. Girl Scouts who have earned their Bronze, Silver and Gold Award will be recognized during the event. These projects fulfill a need within a girl’s community, whether local or global, to create change that becomes ongoing. Girl Scout leaders who volunteer their time will be acknowledged for helping the girls become leaders of tomorrow. Cassie Ferris, one of the event organizers, volunteered to help with planning — fulfilling her requirement for the Silver Award. The Silver Award represents a girl’s accomplishment in Girl Scouting and her community as she grows and works to improve her life and the lives of others. The project is designed to build the recipient’s skills, explore careers, gain leadership skills and make a commitment to self-improvement. “By initiating an annual recruitment event at the Ashley Heffington picnic table, we thought it would be a great way to remember and keep Ashley’s memory alive,” said Ferris. “A recruitment event is a way to introduce non-Girl Scouts to activities that frequently occur in Girl Scouts. We presented our ideas to the service unit and now have about 13 booths with various activities for girls to participate in or gain information regarding scouting.” One of the booths present will be Mothers Against Drunk Driving, since the driver causing Heffington’s fatal accident was “huffing” prior to the incident. Ferris and fellow organizer Kimia Nouri also designed the Girl Scout patch that will be distributed during the event, basing the concept on a supernova after Heffington’s middle name, Nova. “We are extremely grateful and overwhelmed by how much the Girl Scouts have been involved in this project,” said Cindy Heffington. “Ashley would have been extremely proud to have her name associated with this event. I hope it will continue in the years to come.”