Mississippi Merger Complete With New CEO

The Rankin Ledger in Mississippi has a great profile on soon-to-be formed Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi's new CEO Karen Livingston-Wilson. Livingston-Wilson, an Attorney in Jackson, MS, decided to become an attorney at age twelve, due in part to attending a Girl Scout career fair. Many great Livingston-Wilson quotes from the article, including:

"In our ever-evolving and challenging world we live in today, girls need the leadership and character development skills that Girl Scouts teaches now more than ever... If I can help girls and young women become strong and confident leaders of tomorrow, I will feel that I have given back a small portion of what Girl Scouting has given to me."

Read the entire article here.

The Stover Celebrity Golf Tourney!

Jeff Stover - one of only seven San Francisco 49ers defensive linemen to register ten or more sacks, more than once, during their tenure with the team - is also a Girl Scout Advocate!

The Stover Celebrity Golf Tourney brought some of his most gritty former San Francisco 49er teammates and a host of other battle-tested tough guys from throughout the sports world to the Rolling Hills Resort in Northern California.

Read about the full event in the Enterprise Record.

Other players on the celebrity guest list included former Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants pitcher Vida Blue, former 49ers linebacker Dan Bunz, former Kings guard Franklin Edwards, former Oakland Raiders fullback Marv Hubbard, former Raiders and 49ers running back Rick Jennings, former 49ers tight end Ted Popson, former Raiders defensive tackle Art Thoms, former Detroit Lions defensive tackle and USC All-American Charlie Weaver, former 49ers and Raiders defensive end Cedric Hardman, and former 49ers draftee and Chico State sports great George Maderos.

Last year's event pulled in $39,000 for the Girl Scouts. Are there any outstanding Girl Scout supporting athletes in your community? Let us know!

Weekend Run-Down

Hello Everyone,

Time for another edition of Weekend Run-Down. This week we've got a horse, some extreme popcorn and much more. Check it out:

• It's being reported that in Felton California, two local girls have received the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. Read more here.
• The Hawkeye is reporting that Girl Scouts in Burlington Iowa spent a day learning about healthy eating and good exercise at an event titled "Positive Power Unleashed".
• At 92, Gundy Costello has spent a lifetime with Girl Scouts. Read more about her experience in The Lakeland Ledger.
• Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is seeking a new leader - If you know of anyone, e-mail here: evergreen.source@att.net.
• The Girl Scout Commonwealth Council of Virginia honored nine people, including three University of Mary Washington leaders, at the ninth annual "Women of Distinction" awards program Tuesday. Read all about it in The Free Lance-Star.
• Last but not least - The Citrus Daily in Florida is reporting on a Quarter-horse finding a new home, thanks to The Girl Scouts.

Enjoy!

Girl Scouts of the USA Joins Others in Signing Diversity Compact

Girl Scouts of the USA has joined several of the nation's leading nonprofits in signing a compact to bring more diversity and inclusion to their industry.

The Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Compact will be announced later today on Capitol Hill, during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, where more than 100 nonprofit organizations are engaged in a significant dialogue focusing on the leadership crisis facing nonprofits. The event, titled, Who's Got Next?: A Call for Change in the Nonprofit Sector, includes a panel introduction by Michael Watson, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Diversity, Girl Scouts of the USA.


According to Watson, "Girl Scouts has a longstanding commitment to diversity, since its very inception in 1912. It's evident in our employee hiring and recruitment practices, our National Board appointments, and our efforts to reach volunteers, all of which is needed in serving a diverse cadre of girls."


At the Congressional Black Caucus event, the honorable Congressman Emanuel Cleaver will moderate and lead the discussion on the strategies being sought to retain and cultivate African-American leadership within the nonprofit sector. Other panel participants include Boy Scouts of America, the National Urban League, National Human Services Assembly, and Girls Inc.--all of whom will focus on topics that include increasing leadership--employees and board; diversity in nonprofits; strategies for recruiting and retaining diverse talent; and actions nonprofits and foundations can take to demonstrate a commitment to diversity.


For more information about the diversity compact, which encourages signers to create written anti-discrimination policy; apply inclusive methods in recruiting, hiring, and managing staffers; and to regularly assess movement toward creating a more diverse organization, look here!

Cyndy Karon Helps Girls Become Leaders

Today, The Harvard Post has a wonderful interview with Cyndy Karon – a service unit manager, overseeing the leaders for about ten troops in Harvard – that include girls from kindergarten through high school. Of the Girl Scout experience, Cyndy says:

“It is not just a program to give girls the opportunity to investigate and try new things. And it is not just a program to get them outdoors. It is a leadership program… The girls really need to be making decisions about the troop and its direction very early.”

Be sure to read the entire article here!

Green Gold Award!

Out of Foley, MO - a town flooded by the swelling banks of the Mississippi River in 2008 - comes a great example of a Gold Award Project aimed at turning a public place into a green space.

The Lincoln County Journal explains:

"Surrounded by brightly colored flowers in the Hickman Y. Fisher Memorial
Park, Louise Johnston explains how she and other volunteers transformed it.
Louise decided to turn the park into a "green park" for her Girl Scout Gold
Award Project... The money funding the project was raised through the
collection of recyclables. "When I was a Brownie, I liked the idea of
recycling," she elaborated, "so I started to collect cans." Louise has been
doing this for the last 12 years, after learning about environmental topics and
earning a recycling badge in Brownies."

Definitely read the entire article for ideas on how you can incorporate green ideals in your communities and share with us any similar stories you may have!

Girls Go For Science!

Head on over to Live Science, one of my favorites, and check out an awesome video report on Universe Quest - a summer program to get girls excited about science. Follow a group of Girl Scouts who get to look through a telescope, go out to the beach to measure tides, design online games, and more. The program is run by Carl Pennypacker at The University of California, Berkeley.

Weekend Run-Down

Welcome to another Weekend Run-Down. Today we've got stories ranging from golfing girls to world peace:

• In Pennsylvania, The Tribune-Democrat is running a story about Ken and Sandra Balough of Ebensburg - the Persons of the Week for their involvement and dedication to the Girl Scouts. They got involved with the organization a dozen years ago when their oldest daughter joined a troop.
• In Hilton Head, SC, The Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina will host "Death by Chocolate, A Chocolate and Champagne Affair" from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This adult-only fundraiser will benefit programs and needs for Girl Scouts in the area.
• In Swampscott, MA, The Swampscott Reporter is sharing a fantastic story about Amisha Divadkar, a Swampscott resident and a member of Girl Scout Troop 68760. For her Gold Award project, Divadkar is creating her own documentary driven by the theme of her community's view of peace, as well as leading and hosting the screening of the film, "The Day After Peace".
• In Alabama, Girl Scouts from across the Shoals will be on the University of North Alabama campus Saturday as part of the first Girl Scout Day. The day is designed to get the girls interested in math and science as well as pursing their higher education degrees. Read more about it in The Times Daily.
• WALB News 10 in Albany, GA, reports that Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue proclaimed Saturday as "Girls Golf Day" in Georgia. Local girl scouts lined up to to tee off and learn a little golf etiquette at First Tee of Albany.

Enjoy!

The Girl Scouts Centennial Commemorative Coin Act

As you may or may not know, The Girl Scouts Centennial Commemorative Coin Act will direct the U.S. Mint to issue 350,000 Commemorative Coins in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts. This legislation recognizes the achievements of the Girl Scouts and the 50 million alumnae across the nation whose lives have been influenced through Girl Scouting. Enactment of this legislation will support Girl Scout programs across the country.

Congress approves only two coins each year and we have aggressive competition. We've reached the required 290 cosponsors in the House and now need to reach 67 cosponsors in the Senate. We're gaining momentum and our goal is in reach.

To help the cause, click here!

Secretary Napolitano and Girl Scouts of the USA Team up for "Preparedness Month"

Last week, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Kathy Cloninger unveiled a Girl Scout preparedness patch with Girl Scouts of Nation's Capital—designed to engage Girl Scouts and their families in personal preparedness for all emergencies—and announced a new affiliation between DHS Citizen Corps and the Girl Scouts to advance community preparedness nationwide.

“Girl Scouts are thrilled to be partnering with the Department of Homeland Security to encourage girls to learn what to do in case of emergency,” said Kathy Cloninger. “Citizen Corps is a terrific program—one that provides an opportunity for our girls to lead the way in ensuring that their families and their communities are prepared for emergencies.”

Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, moved the crowd of Girl Scouts, first responders, and representatives from the Department of Homeland Security with her testament to the leadership Girl Scouts bring to any situation. It is with courage, confidence, and character that Girl Scouts are prepared to lead anywhere, anytime!

“This new preparedness patch will increase citizen preparedness and enhance our country’s readiness for disasters,” said Secretary Napolitano. “As a former Girl Scout, I know the ‘Be Prepared’ motto well—and I look forward to working with the Girl Scouts to spread the preparedness message to all of our nation’s citizens.”

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, a proud Girl Scout alumna and lifetime member, credited Girl Scouts as providing her first lessons on preparedness and leadership. She encouraged girls to join and stay in Girl Scouting to learn the skills necessary for courageous leadership.

The preparedness patch program, developed by the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides critical emergency preparedness information and activities for all levels of Girl Scouts. The steps and activities required to receive the patch include identifying and preparing for potential emergencies; learning about local alerts and warning systems; and engaging in community service.

Weekend Run-Down

Welcome back from a long weekend! On this run down, we've got stories ranging from Girl Scouts coming together for those in need to an incredibly touching look at the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program.

• The Washington Examiner is reporting on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's new partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA and a new preparedness scouting patch for girls.


• My Fox 5 is reporting on Maryland Girl Scout Troop 7140, which meets twice a month at a rather unusual location: the state Women's Correctional Institution in Jessup.


• Families in the Calaveras Unified School District in California who are facing hunger, homelessness and other troubles triggered by the economic recession are getting a helping hand from local Girl Scouts. Read about it in the Stockton Record.


• Lastly, The Florida Times-Union is reporting that Girl Scouts from Jacksonville Beach Troop 207 have been donating time and resources to financially challenged families with back-to-school needs.

Have a great week!

LMK in Latina Style

A recent article in Latina Style quotes a survey conducted by Omnibuzz, illustrating that tween and teen girls engage in and are exposed to riskier situations online than their male peers. The article states that:

"More than half of online teens (56%) said they’ve been asked personal questions (such as their age, sex, or location) online. Significantly more tweens (82%) than teens (58%) report having discussed internet safety with their parents. Correspondingly higher levels of tweens (59%) than teens (40%) report being concerned about being approached by adult strangers online. Disturbing to note is that 11 percent of teens reported being solicited online by adults and keeping the incident from their parents."

In the article, Gladys Padro-Soler, director of Membership Strategies and a key member of the Hispanic Initiative at the Girl Scouts of the USA states that:

“At the beginning of the technology revolution, we saw the division between
Latinos and other populations that had access to technology. I never encountered
a parent that did not want their daughter to thrive in her education and career
aspirations with the help of the technology that is around her,” she says. “I
met parents that were only afraid of what dangers lurked for their daughters
from the many tragedies they heard about in the news; others were very sad that
they did not have the means to provide a computer for their kids at home.”

The article points out multiple programs in place to combat the generational divide on the internet, highlighting LMK. LMK, as many readers know, seeks to bridge the digital divide between parents and teens by giving teens a platform to educate parents on the web issues most important to them. In regards to parents, LMK also offers a parent site. Let Me Know, the parent site, aims to provide parents with tips, tools and resources to help keep their families safer online. With insight from teen girls, parents learn about current issues that face teens online and how to utilize technology in a safe way. Read the entire Latina Style article here, and let us know what you think of Let Me Know, the parent site!