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GIRL SCOUTS CELEBRATE 93 YEARS OF GROWING STRONG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 3/8/05
Contact: Marcia Morris-Beck,
Communication Director
1-800-344-4757 or marcia@gsccv.org
GIRL SCOUTS CELEBRATE 93 YEARS OF GROWING STRONG
The Girl Scouts have a birthday this month and there’s
plenty to celebrate. It’s been 93 years since the first
Girl Scout meeting, and the organization has evolved from
18 members to some three million.
Juliette Gordon Low started her first Girl Scout troop in
1912 at a time when many girls’ paths in life were
limited to their social standing. Low’s vision was
to establish an organization where any American girl could
expand her personal horizon by having fun, while exploring
new interests and contributing to society.
The Girl Scout Council of Cannon Valley was incorporated
as a non-profit organization in 1958 and continues to offer
unique girl-only programs and opportunities in places where
a girl finds courage by exploring new adventures; confidence
by discovering her abilities; character by shaping her values;
connections by friendships with other girls; and where a
girl returns those gifts by making the world a better place
through community service and leadership.
One of the most innovative Cannon Valley Council initiatives
to reach out to more girls is through the Girl Scouts Beyond
Bars program. Mothers incarcerated at the Shakopee Women’s
Prison have named this program Mothers with Fabulous Daughters.
After the mothers complete required training, their daughters
are transported to the Shakopee facility to spend time in
quality mother/daughter programming monthly. The girls also
engage in girl-only programming during the month to discuss
issues related to being separated from their moms and to
enjoy girl-planned activities with other “fabulous
daughters.”
Another new program this year in Montgomery, LeCenter, LeSueur,
Northfield and Faribault is called A.C.T. 5, a literacy program
for girls 11-17, designed and coordinated by AmeriCorps Promise
Fellow, Lisa Franek, working with the Girl Scout Council
of Cannon Valley to close the achievement gap. Stressing
the Five Promises of America’s Promise (mentor, protect,
nurture, teach/learn and serve), A.C.T. 5 embodies three
unique components: Academics, Community Service, and Teamwork
by engaging in exploratory reading, writing, and dialoguing
exercises with trained volunteers.
In Cannon Falls and LeSueur, an eight-week pilot “Lunch
Bunch” program began in January to provide Girl Scout
opportunities for fun and learning over the school lunch
hour weekly to girls in elementary school. Programs include
topics such as healthy eating, friendships, respect, and
science.
Girls in traditional troops flourish throughout the 27 communities
of Cannon Valley Council with volunteer troop leaders as
mentors who listen to girls’ needs and interests to
coordinate program opportunities and activities that are
fun and build skills, challenge them to grow, and inspire
Girl Scouts to give back to the community.
To learn more about these and other programs and activities
of the Girl Scout Council of Cannon Valley, or to Commit
to a Girl through donations of time or money, please contact
the Service Center at (507) 645-6603 from the metro area
or from greater Minnesota call 1-800-344-4757 or log on to
the website at www.gsccv.org.
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