Published: October 05, 2008 08:45 pm            

Scouting helps Forlines better her community

What could you do to help your community? Allison Forlines had that figured out many years ago when she became a Brownie Scout.

After having spent many days of her younger years in scouting, Allison has had time to reflect upon the many opportunities scouting has given her to serve her community. Allison, known simply as Alli” to her friends and family has certainly helped make a difference. She attributes much of her success and love for scouting to her Troop leader, Linda Mahood (Bluefield Troop 2832) Alli and Mahood’s daughter, Kayla are close friends. Both are scouts. “Scouting gives girls in the community an opportunity to perform community service” beamed Forlines. Allison is the daughter of proud parents, Jeff and Lynn Forlines of Bluefield.

Some of the community service that Allison Forlines has taken part includes being a “Lemonade Lassie” for Lemonade Days. Forlines enjoyed serving people lemonade and promoting community spirit. In colder weather, she volunteered to wrap Christmas presents to raise funds to help the Salvation Army so they could in turn help people in need. She has also helped maintain the area adjacent to the “Peace Pole” in the city’s Lotito Park. Her scout troop assumed the responsibility of maintaining the landscaping, planting flowers and taking care of the shrubbery that surround the monument. Forlines also volunteered her time to place memorial crosses in the park to honor fallen members of the U.S. Armed Force and has also served as a program aide helping young girl scouts with disabilities at scouting events.

She encourages all girls to participate in scouting. “For me, it just happened. I lived in Wytheville for a while and they had a large number of girls that were in the troop, many were my friends and it was just a natural thing to want to be with them and participate.” When she moved to Bluefield she just kept on being a scout.

When asked if she wanted to continue scouting Forlines replied. “After I graduate from college, I hope to become a Girl Scout leader some day.

After having graduated near the top of her class at Bluefield High School last spring, she will be entering Marshall University this fall where she plans to major in Visual Arts with a focus on painting. Forlines is a talented and award winning artist. She has shown her work in several exhibits including the Mercer County Art Show. An interesting note is that she painted scenes on several doors and a mural in the office at Bluefield High School. This past year she served as the yearbook editor and had been on the yearbook staff prior to that. Forlines was also the President of Art Club. She will be attending Marshall University on an academic scholarship. When asked what her proudest accomplishment was she replied that she had not really strived or competed to be at the top of her class. “It was never a goal.” But when it was all said and done, she found herself almost at the top (4th) and with that she continued “but it made me feel good.”

When asked how she had developed her talent Forlines answered that she had received private instruction. She said “I have a love for art and creating things with my hands.” She had also prepared for college by participating in the humanities and career cluster available through her school.

Allison Forlines also has other interest and talents. She said she likes to play the piano and that she did that just for her own entertainment. She would also like to see the downtown area develop and become an area that attracts artists and craftsmen. “Gary Bowling and other leaders are doing a lot to try revitalize Bluefield’s downtown area.” she added.

Forlines prefers to be modest in her approach. (This writer had to practically pry the information concerning her academic achievement out of her.) She prefers to make people comfortable and at ease.

When asked what she would like to do with the rest of her life, Forlines replied, After Marshall, I’d like to obtain a doctorate, perhaps go to Pittsburgh to study, and then become a college professor. “The art community is a family, much like the girl scouts that become your extended family. I’d like to help people discover the joy found in art, in art appreciation, and help people discover their talents and open up the field of art and art education in the schools.”

Her other goal and one she is certain to fulfill — “I want to become a Girl Scout leader. My favorite part of scouting is working with the little girls.”

        

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