Everyone benefits from Girl Scouts
For many, a sit-upon, a round of Make New Friends, or fly-up wings may not carry any meaning, but to thousands of girls who are now adults throughout the central coast, these prompts bring back warm, fun memories more valuable than silver and gold as the song goes.
And, so it goes… another school year begins and with it brings another need or opportunity for a mom, a dad, a guardian, a grandma, or those with special skills to raise their hand to become a Girl Scout volunteer. The benefits are tremendously fulfilling to both girls and those who volunteer.
How else does a girl have access to fun adventures like learning about robotics, Being A Friend First to prevent bullying, or spending a weekend of outdoor orienteering, and so much more?
At Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast, we serve over 10,000 girls from Ventura County to Santa Cruz County. We want to reach more girls than ever before, but in order to do that, we need more volunteers.
Girl Scouts is making the world a better place while making a lasting impression in the lives of both its volunteers and girls members. Demonstrating this, recent Girl Scout research shows that 94 percent of Girl Scout volunteers and 97 percent of girl members believe Girl Scouts provides them with new, fun and exciting experiences.
Locally, our volunteers had this to say about what excited them about becoming a Girl Scout leader: “I had an opportunity to not only be a positive influence on my daughter and other girls in the troop, but that I could be an intimate part of watching them grow as leaders and amazing young women.” “I like outdoors and teaching [girls] self-sufficiency.” “Bringing the program to my daughter, who’s not into sports, gave her an activity that would help her grow as a person.”
It’s easy to register, training is provided, and we have girls waiting…ready to explore in a judgment-free space that is cooperative and encouraging. And, so it goes…that we again ask our communities to support girls and help them explore, imagine, and be amazing. To join or volunteer, please visit www.girlscouts.org/join.
Karen Skole, Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast
Thankful for Senate inactivity
Americans owe a debt of gratitude to Harry Reid and the Democrats in control of the Senate for keeping more than 50 bills passed by the GOP House from becoming law. These bills cover variety of issues: reduce maximum unemployment insurance from 99 weeks to 59 weeks, limit EPA and OSHA regulations of clean air, water and safety in the workplace, extend 100 percent expensing of business equipment including private jets, deny labor unions due process, allow more offshore oil and gas drilling, limit regulation of the Keystone pipeline, limit SEC oversight of startups and public offerings, and replace Medicare with a voucher system. Not a complete list, but enough to show who the GOP cares about. It would be refreshing if the GOP House would pass one major bill to benefit the bottom 98 percent of Americans.
Frank Crosby, Morgan Hill
