Girl Scouts need more leaders for islanders
Do you possess courage? Confidence and good character?
Well then the Girl Scouts may just want you. The islands are in need of a few good Girl Scout leaders.
Right now there are local girls waiting to join the Girls Scouts, but can’t do so because of a lack of leaders.
Leaders are needed for girls of ages, said Troop 228 leader Diane St. Pierre.
The Girls Scouts which have been serving others for more than 90 years is a non-profit organization based helping girls build courage, confidence and character.
Locally, the Girl Scouts have been active and community-oriented. Recently the Troop 228 Brownies collected about 120 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to donate to Friends in Service Here (FISH). Lyn Kern, a FISH volunteer smiled at the boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas and other cookies lined up at the FISH office on Sanibel. The cookies will be used in the non-profit agency’s food pantry.
Overall the Brownie group has sold close to 5,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies this year, St, Pierre said.
“Girls can make a difference,” St. Pierre said. “They’re not out to earn badges but have life experiences.
Aside from the cookies, the local brownies have also raised money for the Pennies for Peace program. Pennies for Peace educates children about the world beyond their experience and shows them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time according to its web site www.penniesforpeace.org.
And none of these sweet efforts would be possible if there were not leaders such as St. Pierre.
“The whole organization always needs leaders,” St. Pierre said.
What do you need to be a Girl Scout leader?
According to Troop 228 Brownie Emily McCallion, 9, a leader must be nice and want to do fun things with the girls. Kellie Weisse, 7, said they need to be funny too.
But on paper, a Girl Scout leader must be over 18 and pass a criminal background check. For more information, call 239-561-1800.