CHAMPS international Program gives young girl hope!

Williston, Vermont - It was a night of celebration and fundraising for Girl Scout troop 125 from Essex Junction and troop 820 from Williston. The two troops are trying to raise $6,000 to buy a prosthetic leg for a girl they've never even met."Anita in Bosnia and when she was eleven she stepped on a landmine and lost her leg," explains 12-year-old Maria Mignano.The scouts have spent the last year learning about countries like Bosnia, where land mines still pose a danger to ordinary civilians. After hearing about the mines last April, the girls embarked on an incredible mission - to raise $20,000 to adopt and train a mine sniffing dog."It sniffs out mines so people can go in and get them out so people don't step on them," explains 11-year-old Katy Trahan.Through hard work the girls reached their goal in less than a year. Their adopted dog, Champlain, is working in Lebanon.Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, congratulated the girls for their amazing accomplishment."You've made life better for some people around the world who will never know who you are," he said. "They'll never even come and thank you, all they'll know is their lives are going to be better because of you, and you can spend the rest of your life being proud of what you've done. I want you to know this United States senator is very proud of you." The girls are focused--they have also supplied Anita with a new leg and are chatting via Internet videoconferene to connect with the girl whose life they've changed from half a world away.

Bianca Slota - WCAX News