Gov. Phil Scott honors Girl Scouts for investing in the future of girls
MONTPELIER, VT | Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains joined Gov. Phil Scott on Wednesday, Feb. 20, as he proclaimed Feb. 22-24 Girl Scout Cookie Weekend in Vermont. Girl Scouts from Troop 40126 in Thetford along with Tara Pacht, president of the Board of Directors of GSGWM, presented the governor with an assortment of Girl Scout Cookies in appreciation of the proclamation.
The 2019 Girl Scout Cookie booth season kicked off on Feb. 15, celebrating the largest financial investment in girls annually in the United States and a powerful entrepreneurship incubator for the next generation of female leaders. At a time when girls’ needs and issues collect fewer than eight cents of every dollar granted by philanthropic foundations in the country, each and every Girl Scout Cookie purchase is key to supporting the change-makers of today and tomorrow.
“We are honored to be recognized by Governor Scott with this proclamation of Girl Scout Cookie Weekend in Vermont,” said Patricia Mellor, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. “Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains knows that the Girl Scout Cookie Program has become one of the most powerful and successful financial literacy tools for girls, and teaches them five essential skills – goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. With earnings from this program, Girl Scouts do remarkable work, consistently making positive change in their communities, and doing what they can to make the world a better place.”
Research shows that female-founded start-ups generate more revenue over time and per dollar than male-founded start-ups, but only 17 percent of start-ups are female-founded. Given that over half (53 percent) of female entrepreneurs and business owners are Girl Scout alums, supporting Girl Scouts as they make sales and learn essential business skills is imperative to ensuring our country has a strong workforce and economy.
Girl Scouts are doing remarkable things made possible by each and every cookie sale. Brownies in Newton have created and posted signs marking a walking trail. A troop in Winooski, Vermont, is earning a trip to Costa Rica to do conservation work, are working to prevent suicide, and have been awarded a year’s supply of feminine hygiene products to help less fortunate girls get access to needed supplies. A Gold Award Girl Scout in Pelham has created a mentoring program to help students improve their SAT scores. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience has also resulted in one Gold Award Girl Scout, Cassandra Levesque of Barrington to change the law in her state to raise the legal age of marriage to 16 and gain the skills and desire necessary to win a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives while beginning her college education.
To find Girl Scouts selling cookies near you, visit http://bit.ly/GScookiefind or use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, free on iOS and Android devices.
About Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains: Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains is recognized throughout New Hampshire and Vermont as a leading expert on girls. Our Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a one-of-a-kind leadership development program for girls, with proven results. It is based on time-tested methods and research-backed programming that helps girls take the lead—in their own lives and in the world. Through our exciting and challenging programs, Girl Scouts not only participate but also take the lead in a range of activities—from kayaking, archery, and camping, to coding, robotics, financial literacy training, and beyond! Serving more than 10,000 girls throughout New Hampshire and Vermont, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Visit www.girlscoutsgwm.org.