One local Girl Scout has an exciting pet-friendly project in the works for her Gold Award, the highest the organization has to offer.

Mandan resident Cara Weigel, 15, a sophomore at Mandan High School and a long-time member of Troop 87109 of the Dakota Horizon Girl Scouts, plans to build an obstacle course for man's best friend at the Dog Town dog park.

The project, for which she has already secured $800 in funding via the Mandan Park Board, was inspired after the city's parks and rec director Cole Higlin commented that something needed to be done with the park.

Cara tells us:

It will have a cement culvert for dogs to go in and out of, a weave pull so the dogs can zig-zag, different-sized jumps and a dog walk that will have a ramp for them to walk up and an area to walk them and a way down... There is no other obstacle course for dogs in the Bismarck-Mandan area. I based the idea on a YouTube video I saw.

Cara has been a Girl Scout since she was in first grade, and she loves it:

I've met a lot of neat friends and learned a lot of new qualities like leadership, being respectful and how to meet new friends.... I've had a fun time... and it will look good when I apply for colleges.

For her Silver Award, Cara took part in a group project: a camp for younger Girl Scouts.

Cara is also a member of the National Honor Society and the proud owner of Diamond, a yellow Labrador retriever.

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