By Richard Kaufman
Last week, Girl Scouts all over the world celebrated the 107th anniversary of when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the first 18 girl scouts in Savannah, Ga.
Greenwich Girl Scouts celebrated the important date by participating in 11 events. Scouts volunteered at the 59th Greenwich Lions pancake breakfast on March 9, to kick off the celebration, and concluded the week by taking in an exhibit at the Bruce Museum, on March 17.
Last Tuesday, the anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts, First Selectman, Peter Tesei, presented a proclamation at Town Hall and designated March 12, 2019 as Girl Scout Day in Greenwich.
“Whereas in Girl Scouts, girls develop their leadership potential through activities that enable them to discover their values, skills, and the world around them, connecting with others in a multicultural environment,” Tesei read in part. “Girl Scouts was founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low whose life mission was to build girls of courage, confidence, and character and through her legacy continues to have an extraordinary influence on the lives of millions of girls across the country.”
Today, more than 59 million American women are Girl Scout alumnae, and approximately 2.6 million girls and adult volunteers are active members.
Three of those active members were at Town Hall on Tuesday, as Susie Ponce, a Scout leader in training, and her daughters, 13-year-old Angelina, of Troop 50941, and five-year-old Adelina, of Troop 50262, accepted the proclamation.
The Ponce family recently became involved with Girl Scouts after Adeline was invited to a scout meeting by a friend.
“We were not a Girl Scout family prior to, but we used to do a lot of community service on our own and activities because of my non-for-profit background,” Susie said. “Once we went to a meeting, we just fell in love and said, ‘We could do this in a group. This is fantastic!’ They have great activities for the girls that tie in to leadership, financial fitness, and the community.”
After the proclamation was issued, Tesei asked the young girls what being a Girl Scout meant to them, and what they’d like to do when they grow up.
“Being a Girl Scout is an amazing opportunity to get to know people and to help out the community along with others,” Angelina said. “When I’m older, I would like to become a pediatric cardiologist which is a big journey that I’m working really hard to achieve. A pediatric cardiologist helps others through surgery, and being a Girl Scout also helps others, but in a different way.”
Adelina said she wants to be a Girl Scout teacher when she’s older.
Of course, with spring time rapidly approaching, it’s once again Girl Scout Cookie Season. Greenwich residents can grab their favorite cookies at booths, on March 23 and March 30, at Chillybear in Old Greenwich, Shoes and More on Greenwich Avenue and the Holly Hill Recycling Center, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Tesei, when asked what his favorite Girl Scout cookie was, took a few seconds to decide. “It’s close between Thin Mints and Tagalongs, but I’d have to go with the peanut butter,” he said.
