Girl Scout Troop 35579 has introduced a unique initiative by constructing a pet pantry specifically for dogs and cats, inspired by the Little Free Library concept. The pantry now stands at Portage’s Woodland Park dog park.

Troop leader Karen Naumann shared her motivation, stating, “People have been asking for help with animals. They can’t afford food.” This project was led by Serenity Nelson from Portage and Heidi O’Bannion from Lake Station, who built the pet pantry to earn their Silver award, a notable honor in the Girl Scouts community.

The effort that culminated in this accomplishment began in 2024 with four girls, faced a pause due to Naumann’s cancer journey, and narrowed down to O’Bannion and Nelson when others left the troop. Naumann reached out to Barb Lusco, Portage Parks department’s maintenance director, seeking permission to place the pet pantry at the dog park. Lusco was impressed by the idea. She remarked, “When I first heard from you, I was like, oh my God, what a wonderful idea.”

O’Bannion described the team’s collaborative approach, mentioning that they assessed several ideas before choosing the pet pantry. Runner-up concepts included bat boxes, bee houses, and butterfly habitats. The troop evaluated these choices, planned thoroughly, and sourced a kit via Amazon. The pantry, designed with plastic-coated wood, aims to withstand Northwest Indiana’s challenging weather conditions, with Naumann’s husband tweaking the original design by adding a latch.

The assembly process took roughly an hour, and O’Bannion handled tools efficiently, noting, “I’m a truck driver’s daughter.” The troop carefully selected pet food, treats, tennis balls for dogs, and toys for cats to stock the pantry, with numerous items remaining as surplus.

Naumann highlighted her readiness to replenish the pantry, given her frequent visits to the nearby park. She encouraged community participation, expressing, “I encourage people, too, if they want to bring stuff.”

The official stocking of the pet pantry took place on September 18, 2026, with Girl Scout leader Karen Naumann, Parks Director Barb Lusco, and Mayor Austin Bonta present. Mayor Bonta commended the initiative, stating, “This is great. This is exactly the kind of stuff we get excited about.” The troop took the initiative to address a community need, impressing others with their proactive approach.

O’Bannion recognized the rarity of pet pantries in the area, stating, “There aren’t many pet pantries,” which made this idea particularly valuable. Despite being primarily positioned in a dog park, attention was also given to cats. O’Bannion mentioned, “There’s people that own dogs and cats.” There was hesitation about expanding the idea to other pets, as seen when Nelson rejected the notion of including food for pet snakes.

Reporter Doug Ross provided coverage of this project for the Post-Tribune.