“There are friendships imprinted in our hearts that will never be diminished by time and distance.” — Dodinsky
The following story is a beautiful example of friendship among these girl scouts that withstood the test of time.
For the past nine years, a Girl Scouts troop in Washington have bonded over doing crafts, baking cookies, and dance parties. These childhood friends have called themselves The Ladybugs, a name inspired by their shared fascination for the insect. But aside from this, the girls have one more thing in common – an extra chromosome.
Recognizing the need for community, Linda Sauve, the Troop Leader, decided to create a “safe haven” for these young females with Down syndrome. Her daughter Sarina, and the rest of the troop members were around five to six years old when it was formed.
After nine years, the girls are about to enter adulthood, and time hasn’t weakened their bond one bit – in fact, the years have just made it stronger. Some of the activities they love doing include crafts, sleepovers, and dancing.
Though they all share a common denominator, the misses – like any other group of friends – all have unique personalities. But according to Linda, it’s been great for them to be around others who were like them.
“Having that common thread doesn’t mean that they’re all alike, by any means. They’re all unique individuals. But having that extra chromosome gives us all a common thread,” Linda said.
Sarina had this to say about other people like her:
“People, if you have Down syndrome, that’s cool. You get to do cool activities!”
Another troop member shared her thoughts about belonging to a group like The Ladybugs:
“What I like about Girl Scouts is that your friends are there for you.”
Linda hopes that the girls’ close friendship will continue until they reach adulthood.
She said: “I just expect them to continue to achieve whatever they want to achieve.”
Learn more about The Ladybugs and their beautiful personalities in the video below.
Everybody needs a supportive and loving sisterhood like what these girls have! It’s heartwarming to see that they have all found a genuine friend in each other, and we hope that this wonderful relationship will remain for the decades to come.
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