By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
Courage. Confidence. Character. The ability to make the world a better place. These are some of the lifelong values instilled in girls who embrace the Girl Scout philosophy. They become leaders and not followers.
"Since I was four I wanted to be a Girl Scout. My Nana was in the Girl Scouts and now that I am joining, my brother wants to join the Boy Scouts," an excited Diamond Moore, 7, said.
There is a new Girl Scout troop in town. Moore joined six other young girls, six to 10 years of age, as they gathered at the Ferry Street School Community Resource Center for the inaugural meeting.
The initial meeting was made special by the presentation of a $600 check by John Stauffer, Executive Director of the United Way of Greater Niles, to give the troop its start. The funds allow the organizers to get the troop registered and purchase the necessary program materials.
"United Way is excited about the new program being offered at the resource center. We feel it is an excellent opportunity for young girls," Stauffer said.
Also on hand for the check presentation was Janine Andrysiak, Fund Development Director for the Singing Sands Council, who was standing in for CEO Janet Ridenour, and Audrey Pringle, Membership Service Manager based in Benton Harbor.
"United Way stepped right up to the plate to get the Girl Scout program established here. Traditional troop meetings were normally held at schools and churches; however, more and more we are bringing the Girl Scouts to meet where the girls are at local activity centers such as the resource center. These centers are often where the most at-risk girls are," Andrysiak said.
Kimberly West, 6, is joining because she heard about all the arts and crafts sessions included in the weekly meetings. "I want to be talented," she said.
The over-whelming reason the girls, who rushed to be the first to join, expressed is they know it will be fun. At the first meeting they were not disappointed.
New recruits learned that all their girlfriends would be welcomed. Girl Scouts offers programs for every girl from those in kindergarten, Daisy Girl Scouts, to those who are in High School qualifying as Senior Girl Scouts. Most of those in attendance the first night were in the grades one to three category of Brownies with the grade four girl present considered a Junior Girl Scout.
The new scouts learned about selling cookies in November and of day camps and the resident summer camp in Lawton, where they could spend from three days to a full week. They received information on the crafts and field trips that would help them earn special badges and triads. As new scouts they were surprised to learn they had already won a triad.
On this first night by learning the Girl Scout sign and pledge, they all qualified for their first award. The girls will also be getting their official sash and pin courtesy of the United Way funds.
Pringle says that initially the girls with be a "troop group" with all ages meeting at the same time as a group to familiarize the girls with scouting. Various levels will be participating in different activities with the help of adult volunteers until permanent troop leaders are found.
"We hope to find leaders interested in assisting young ladies in making the best lives possible for themselves and the world around them. Leaders don't have to have been Scouts themselves. Training is provided and the volunteer commitment is approximately two to three hours per week," said Pringle, a Scout for 23 years.
The scouts will meet each Monday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Parents wishing to sign up their daughters can pick up a form at the Ferry Street Resource Center. Anyone interested in becoming a Girl Scout leader should call the toll free number for Singing Sands Council at 1 (800) 272-7755.