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Girls Scouts make ‘distraction toys’ for police to give to children

Girl Scouts Elizabeth Burson, Taylor Downard and Ruthie Smith explain their gift of 100 toys they made to Deputy Chris Johnston, right, at the Spokane Valley Police Station on Sept. 30. The girls raised more than 500 dollars, then bought the parts to make the toys, a kind of puzzle game with a clear tube filled with colored rice where the user juggles the contents to locate small objects concealed inside. They hope that police officers in Spokane Valley will use them to distract children caught up in traumatic situations. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
By Pia Hallenberg piah@spokesman.com(509) 459-5427

Even though Spokane Valley deputy Chris Johnston assured them he wouldn’t lock the door, the three Girl Scouts were pretty skittish about trying out one of the never-used holding cells at the Spokane Valley Precinct.

Taylor Downard, 11, Ruthie Smith, 12, and Elizabeth Burson, 12, were there to present the Spokane Valley Police Department with 100 “distraction toys” the girls had made for the police department. The toys are clear plastic tubes, capped at each end and filled with colored rice and little toy animals.

The girls explained that police officers can give the toys to children who end up in their custody after domestic disputes or accidents.

“You turn the tube around and you look for the little toys,” Elizabeth explained.

Valley deputy Chris Johnston thanked the girls for the toys though he had one concern: “You are absolutely sure the caps can’t come off and the rice spill out all over the place?”

The young scouts assured him they had “crash tested” the toy and that it was nearly unbreakable.

The girls held a car wash and raised $585 to spend on supplies needed to make the toys. Some of the glue was donated.

Taylor said they first looked at making toys for Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, but then chose to help out the police instead.

“It can be hard for the kids when something happens,” Taylor said. “This can make it a little easier.”

Johnston showed the Girl Scouts the courtroom and the administrative offices at the precinct, and told them about the police dogs. They also got to see his patrol car.

The project qualifies the girls for their bronze award, which Taylor said is the first really big award in Girl Scouts.

“To make it happen takes hard work, commitment and a lot of talking,” Elizabeth said.