Girl Scout Gold Award brings rosary garden to Fayetteville

Published: October 18, 2016

By Sarah Berryman

October 9, 2016

Father Jason Tyler blesses the garden while St Joseph parishoners, family and friends gather. Johanna Berryman wearing her Girl Scout sash is to the right of the cross. Johanna is the daughter of Jay and Sarah Berryman (standing behind her).

Johanna Berryman, a senior at Haas Hall Academy and parishioner at St Joseph Church in Fayetteville, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor award in girl scouting offered. Only 5 percent of Girl Scouts earn this prestigious award.

Her "Peace Patch" - Rosary Garden Project was dedicated and blessed by Father Jason Tyler Oct. 9 after the 5 p.m. Mass. Johanna's proposal was accepted by the Girl Scout Gold Award Committee in September. She designed the garden, raised money selling homemade pies to fund the project and organized the seven-day construction project, which was completed in early October. It replicates the rosary with stepping stones for the beads, a cross and fountain of natural stone with a water feature flowing down from a statue of the Blessed Mother.

Her goal was to provide a place for prayer, peace and hope during these turbulent times of political unrest, violence and loss of lives recently in her parish. She included an educational program after the dedication ceremony on suicide prevention and awareness. Johanna's inspiration was the loss of a friend and fellow parishioner to suicide this past year.

The "Peace Patch" will remain sustainable as it will be used for teaching the rosary prayers to children at St Joseph School and PRE classes for years to come. Johanna hopes that it will be the foundation for more enhancement projects in the future that will encourage prayer for everyone in the community.