I discovered Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada when I started to donate to the Camp Foxtail campaign. On my tour of the remote camp I could envision the smiles and laughter and even the challenges a girl goes through during her week stay. I think it's amazing the organization helps with scholarships to girls who might not be able to afford camp. I worked at a kids camp for three years and it is amazing to see how they grow and discover themselves year after year.
As a lifetime member, Girl Scouts has meant a great deal to me. I earned my Gold Award and was able to go backpacking in Zion National Park, canoeing in the Boundary Waters, and attend a music camp in North Carolina, among other things. I became passionate about the outdoors, community service, and travel. After working in my field for a number of years I served in the Peace Corps in the Phillipines and am now a Park Ranger at Everglades National Park. My thirteen years as a girl scout in this council introduced me to a wide world of experiences that led me to where I am and who I am today.
I was a troop leader for many years and I have to say, I was impressed with the safety standards of the organization, and the training and ongoing support they provide their volunteers. To volunteer as a troop leader, I had to provide references, had a background check, and a co-leader who was not related in any way. The organization looked after everything and provided me training before I ever held my first meeting. Admittedly, I was a little nervous at first because I had no idea what I was doing. But the organization and its volunteer support system helped me to feel included and gave me a wealth of resources to rely on for support.
I was a girl scout for six years growing up in Las Vegas. I left the organization due to my interests at the time, but always had fond memories of my time spent there.
I was so happy to learn about the Thin Mint Sprint several years later - it was a great way to get the community involved with the girl scouts and for a chance for me to once again touch base with this organization. I also appreciate how it involved healthful living through running and walking activities - It's great to enjoy all the girl scout cookies (which I did at the end!), but it's important that the kickoff to the selling season was with activity as the two should go hand in hand.
Kudos to the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada finally bridging the gap of their No. 1 selling/fund-raising initiative with activity to promote healthy living. It's good for the women and girls in Girl Scouts as well as for the community.
I became a Girl Scout in Southern Nevada when I was 6 years old. I participated all the way through my senior year in high school. As a senior I earned my Gold Award, the highest level award you can earn in Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts builds strong girls that know what they want out of life. It gives girls the courage to go after what they want. The program builds their confidence and character. It shows them the world is bigger than just their school or city and asks them what they will do to change it. I am who I am today and have succeeded in life due to the skills and relationships I built in Girl Scouts.
