Not all heroes wear capes, but Ruth Mahnken of the Fallsburg Junior-Senior High School certainly earned one. Thanks to her selfless efforts, two hand-made closets filled with school supplies now reside at the elementary and high school buildings. She fulfilled her mission to provide basic necessities for students in need. Her upbringing and commitment to community service played a key role in bringing this project to light.
Even after moving to Fallsburg from Long Island in early 2020, Ruth remains an active member of the Suffolk County Girls Scouts. Through her tireless work helping the community and furthering the Girl Scouts' mission, she has earned countless badges and awards. But nothing can hold a candle to the Gold Award, which Ruth will receive later this year for building the supply closets.
The Gold Award is considered the most prestigious honor in Girl Scouts. Not only are troops who earn the award considered strong leaders and role models but they are also set up for success when it comes to college admissions and scholarships. The average grade level to earn this award is usually 11th or 12th grade, but Ruth will receive it as a 10th grader, making the honor much more significant.
The Girl Scouts also runs deep in Ruth’s family, as her mother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother were all troop members. The Gold Award was not her only motivating factor for building the closets; carrying on her family's legacy was also extraordinarily important. “They all got their Gold Award,” said Ruth. “To be a part of that history in my family and to maybe, one day, even spread it [the legacy] further [is important to me].”
Ruth also credits her adversities as a decisive motivational factor for community service. As a child, she was diagnosed with Common Variable Immune Deficiency, or CVID, an autoimmune disease that prevents individuals from having an adequate level of antibodies, making them more susceptible to infections. After starting regular treatment for the disease, she started recognizing the significant impact of helping others.
“A lot of doctors said if I never got those treatments, I might not even be here today,” said Ruth. “To be able to help kids that were going through a lot of the same thing as I was going through, and maybe didn’t have the same things I had, [meant a lot to me].”
The school supply closet has remained a vital lifeline for many Fallsburg Central School District students. Thanks to her goodwill and determination, Ruth has cemented a legacy in the district that will live on in perpetuity.