``When I read old materials, like from the 1920s, about the Girl Scouts, the message has been consistently about empowerment,'' Myra Blackmon, president of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia said. ``There were always messages that said girls can do anything.''
Girl Scouts of the USA will mark its 90th anniversary this month with festivities planned nationwide and in Savannah, where Low founded the organization on March 12, 1912. Officials said she taught girls about careers and the outdoors at a time when it wasn't necessarily the norm.
``Juliette Gordon Low wanted every girl to learn new skills and have new experiences,'' said Cheryl K. Legette, executive director of Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia. ``When she began planning the first Girl Scout troop meeting she said, 'I have something for all the girls of Savannah and all of America.'''
In 1917, Girl Scouts volunteered their services during World War I, by working in hospitals, staffing railroad stations canteens, and collecting peach pits for use in gas masks. By 1936, the organization launched a popular tradition - selling Girl Scout cookies.
Since then, the Girl Scouts has established itself as the largest organization for girls, with more than 300 councils nationwide. Current membership stands at 3.7 million, according the group's Web site.
Ten women will receive the Girl Scouts' National Women of Distinction Juliette Award at a gala planned Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Among them, former Girl Scout and president of the American Red Cross, Elizabeth Dole.
Girl Scout Week runs through Saturday.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/3/197578