Commissioners proclaim Girl Scout Week in Adams County –
By Patricia Beech –
Adams County Commissioners on Monday, March 12 issued a proclamation declaring the week of March 11 – 17 Girl Scout Week in Adams County.
Young ladies representing Scout troops across Adams County spent nearly an hour talking with the Commissioners about what scouting means to them.
“What do you love about scouting?” Commissioner Brian Baldridge asked the girls, who responded enthusiastically.
“Going to camp,” said one.
“Helping the community,” said another.
“Cookies,” said a third.
Commissioner Diane Ward, a former Girl Scout leader herself, spent several minutes talking one-on-one with the girls about the importance of scouting in Adams County.
“The Scouts are dear to my heart,” said Ward. “I’ve had a couple of the girls here today tell me they want to be in my seat someday, and I really like that because they have dreams, and dreams can come true.”
Developing a sense of civic responsibility is a pillar of scouting that local Scout leader, Tabitha Segan from Troop 9305 in West Union said is one of the main goals in Girl Scouts.
“We try to help the girls develop skills and confidence to become leaders in our community,” she said. “We have big plans for our Girl Scouts, to have them take action in our community in the coming years and to be girl-strong.”
It’s been 106 years since Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the Girl Scout organization’s first 18 members in Savannah, Georgia in 1912.
From those humble beginnings, the Girl Scouts have grown to include 2.6 million girls and 800,000 adult Scout leaders – all of whom will spend National Girl Scout Week (March 11- March 17) commemorating the organization’s birthday.
According to Scout leader Nicole Atkins, from Troop 1183 in Peebles, each day local Girl Scouts will participate in a different activity or event – in addition to selling their signature cookies.
“The girls will participate in several different activities,” Atkins said. “That includes donating the profits from their cookie sales to the Adams County Cancer Center.”
Her daughter Luvinnia, who Saturday set up a Cookie Drive-Thru at a local Marathon Station, said she appreciates the connections she’s made as a Girl Scout.
“It’s like a big sisterhood,” she said. “We can connect and that helps us make a difference in our community.”
