Since kindergarten, winter has meant something for me that’s different from what you may expect—selling Girl Scout cookies: the annual event that funds my troop’s activities for the year to come. Except that’s just it—selling cookies isn’t our only identifying feature.
Selling cookies is the most visible component of Girl Scouts, so it’s understandable why many believe it’s the organization’s main focus. But cookies shouldn’t be all people know about Girl Scouts—Girl Scouts changes the lives of over a million girls and young women, including my own.
Girl Scouts teaches three values with the goal of helping girls make the world a better place: courage, confidence and character. And they deliver every time, whether you were a Girl Scout for one year or 13.
Before Girl Scouts, I was shy, timid and afraid of speaking my mind. That was 12 years ago.
Over the course of those 12 years in Girl Scouts, I’ve changed; I’ve had experiences I never thought I would and experienced the world through a lens I never even imagined. I’ve changed and will continue to grow thanks to what Girl Scouts has given me—from leadership skills and confidence to a larger network and curiosity, I will take these gifts into my adult life and benefit from them.
That change is why I’ve gone to camp and become a counselor-in-training, something I never would have done before. Why I’ve spoken at donor events, served as a Girl Scout representative to the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCWNI) Board of Directors, and currently serve as a National Delegate. Why I’ve learned from female professionals and shared my opinion on where the movement should go from here and what girls need to be successful in today’s world.
There are even more possibilities in my future with the organization, the most prominent being earning my Gold Award. The Girl Scout’s equivalent to an Eagle Scout project, it’s the highest honor a scout can earn.
All of these things are possible thanks to Girl Scouts.
Selling cookies teaches us lessons, too. It teaches us goal setting, entrepreneurship and people skills. However, the main purpose of selling cookies is to take care of the financial portion of the things that allow change in young women’s lives.
Next time you see a Girl Scout troop out in the cold, remember that you can help those girls change the world for the better. Whether it’s buying a box, giving them a donation or simply smiling and wishing them luck, your support can make a difference too.