Girl Scout Cookies

Many years ago, a young woman known to her friends and family as “Daisy” decided to bring an idea that she had learned about from friends in England to the United States. The year was 1912. The young woman was Juliette Gordon Low, and her friend, Robert Baden-Powell, had started an organization for boys called Boy Scouts. Years later, millions of girls throughout the United States have participated in Girl Scouts. The organization is thriving in Kernersville and Walkertown, and local Girl Scouts have done amazing things in our community.
Blankets and food, kitchen supplies and cookware have been donated to help those in need. For the Town of Kernersville, markers have been placed on storm drains, fire hydrants have been given a new coat of paint, and flowers have been planted. Litter has been picked up in our parks. Girl Scouts worked with the Körner’s Folly to create a patch program, which encourages scouts to participate in activities that enhance their knowledge of Victorian times and Kernersville’s history. These are just a few of the ways Girl Scouts have made an impact in our community.
While enjoying songs, games, and laughter, girls learn important life skills, and grow into confident young women. Young women who, in earning their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, have painted murals in Kernersville, brought awareness to dating violence and organized an opportunity to learn about field hockey for girls. Handmade cards and lots of cookies have been sent to our military personnel, and toothbrushes, toiletries and movies have been donated to Brenner Children’s Hospital. Pet food, toys, and blankets have been donated to the local animal shelter. And in everything, Girl Scouts have worked to help others.
In Kernersville and Walkertown, despite the challenges of the pandemic, Girl Scouts continues to be an active organization. Meeting over Zoom, meeting outdoors, or meeting socially distanced this fall, inside a large gym but with the doors open to the out-of-doors, Girl Scouts have continued to learn about citizenship and local government.
And although traditional activities remain a favorite for many, Girl Scouts of today are also involved in “STEM,” activities with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. Through this effort, they learn many important skills, including ways to have a positive impact on the environment.
Girl Scout cookies are perhaps the best known of all Girl Scout traditions, traced back to the early 1900’s, when Juliette Gordon Low’s troop made homemade shortbread cookies and took them out into the community. The kick-off to cookie season is this weekend, and it is worth reflecting, as you consider this Girl Scout tradition, that the sale of cookies helps fund the opportunities for girls to develop leadership skills throughout the year. Juliette Gordon Low was excited about scouting because of the influence on girls, but I sometimes wonder if she could have envisioned the extent of the positive impact of scouting on our town, and communities throughout our Nation.
Dawn Morgan is the Mayor of Kernersville and writes a weekly column for the News.