Pharmacists from Rex Healthcare, in conjunction with Cary Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, hosted Operation Medicine Drop at the Rex Healthcare of Cary campus March 24. The Cary community had the opportunity to clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in expired and unused medications for safe disposal. The event yielded more than 50,000 dosage units.

LOCAL GIRL SCOUTS EARN GOLD AWARDS

Four local Girl Scouts have recently received the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

Caitlyn Caggia, of Cary, is the daughter of Nancy and Vince Caggia. For her Gold Award project, she gave 12 fourth- and fifth-grade students at Kingswood Elementary an opportunity to work with STEM technology and robots. She led sessions using Lego robotics so that the children could learn technical and problem-solving skills.

Caggia is a sophomore at Green Hope High School and a member of Girl Scout Troop 1761.

Corinne Crowley, of Cary, is the daughter of Dr. Nancy Crowley and Dr. David Pickup. For her Gold Award project, she worked with Grow and Share, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting hunger. She grew 1,000 vegetable plants from seeds, which she distributed to church members. Those receiving plants donated more than 1,690 fresh fruits and vegetables for hunger relief. She also created a pamphlet to educate the community on the benefits of local food production and sustainable farming, the problem of hunger in America, and ways to get involved with hunger relief.

Crowley is a junior at Athens Drive High School and is an individually registered Girl Scout led by her mother.

Amishi Desai, of Cary, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sunil Desai. For her Gold Award project, she volunteered in the pediatric clinic at WakeMed Raleigh Hospital, where she read to children in waiting rooms. She also collected books in her neighborhood and made tote bags to donate to the children.

Desai is a senior at William G. Enloe High School and a member of Girl Scout Troop 1437.

Rebecca Law, of Raleigh, is the daughter of Mac and Christine Law. For her Gold Award project, she created a picnic/recreation area at the Carolina Tiger Rescue as a place to host events and fundraisers or for volunteer and guest picnics. She also taught local children about animal safety.

Law graduated from Cary High School in 2011 and is currently a freshman at N.C. State University. She was a member of Girl Scout Troop 1860.

Compiled by staff writer Michelle Ferencak