Angeline Hamilton, a violinist and Bainbridge High School cross country runner, has been reaching for the gold since childhood. But not just in music and sports. Soon, this Girl Scout of 13 years will cross the finish line for Girl Scouting’s most prestigious achievement, the Gold Award, for refurbishing T’Chookwap Park, overlooking the south shore of Port Madison.
Tucked into a storybook tunnel of trees and stately homes, T’Chookwap Park is a .32- acre parcel of land owned by the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park & Recreation District.
Hamilton’s criteria for receiving the Gold Award included finding and researching an issue she cared about, identifying experts to help, and making and leading a team to carry out the plan. “You must [also] do 100 hours of solo work,” said Hamilton, 18. “It must be sustainable. You can’t do a one-time blood drive and call it good.”
Hamilton’s inspiration came from working with BIMPRD’s Student Conservation Corps, where she was paid to remove invasive species, and training with the cross country team. “My team runs everywhere, and we often end by jumping off the Hidden Cove dock,” she said. “One time, we came upon this tiny grass area and park sign, and I said, ‘That’s the tiniest park I’ve ever seen.’ I realized it was covered in invasive species. Laurels, ivy and holly were everywhere.”
Hamilton started work on the park in fall of 2024 and aims to complete the project by fall of 2025. In the meantime, she’ll fundraise and collaborate with local nurseries and the Bainbridge Island Parks and Trails Foundation to buy plants and recruit manpower.
“There are opportunities to care for our parks,” Hamilton said, “such as being a park steward, where you can pull ivy, blackberries and Scotch broom. It’s everywhere. Frankly, if we’re not careful, it will take over.”
