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Show Girl Scouts celebrave March birthday March is an important month for the Girl Scouts of America. Juliette Low founded the organization March 12, 1912, a day that Girl Scouts still celebrate. Girl Scout Week is proclaimed each March and perhaps the most famous of all Girl Scout events takes place in March, Girl Scout Cookie sales. Cookies will be delivered April 16 through 26 this year. "It's the only really big fundraiser all year," said Phyllis Mecham, the leader for the Cadette troop. Troops make 15 cents per box and with only two Cadettes in her troop that might not amount to much, except that her daughter, Cheri, sold 665 boxes and the other Cadette, Regina Freestone, wasn't far behind. Working toward goals is not new to the girls. The two Cadettes, both ninth graders, are now in the process of raising money for Jet Trek '83, a trip to London, France, Italy and maybe Switzerland. For selling over 500 boxes of cookies, the girls receive camp credit toward the trip. "I'm hoping that the Europe trip helps keep girls in scouting," Phyllis said. "The Wider Opportunities programs offered internationally and in the U.S. are great opportunities." Other goals the girls work toward are their badges. "There's no sense in being in scouting if you're not willing to work toward badges," Phyllis said. "The girls can learn anything. Badges vary from sewing to horseback riding." Brownies, first through third graders, earn patches. Juniors, fourth through sixth graders, and Cadettes, seventh through ninth graders, earn badges in categories dealing with people, out of doors, well being, today and tomorrow and arts. Both Cadettes are now working toward the Silver Award, the highest award in Cadette Girl Scouts. Some of the requirements, Phyllis explained, are that they must complete a silver leadership award, earn an interest project, serve as an officer in a troop, church or other organization, earn a volunteer service bar, do an activity for girls moving up from Junior to Cadette, plan a major trip or special event for a troop and participate in community service projects. "It takes a lot of involvement and work to earn these awards." Phyllis said. "The girls put in a lot of time, hard work and dedication." Some of the hard work will pay off in May when about 70 Girl Scouts from the area will attend a Council-wide Birthday Bir-thday Bonanza at Lagoon Amusement Park. The girls will camp out, present skits, go to the amusement park, and have a birthday party celebrating the 60th year for scouting in Utah and the 70th birthday of Girl Scouting in the United States. Phyllis wears a jacket covered with patches her troops have earned in order to attend events such as the Lagoon trip. One pin she proudly wears on her jacket was sent to her by Anna von Porat, a high school exchange student in 1980 who was a member of Phyllis' scout troop. Phyllis has been a leader for five years, two years as a Junior leader and the past three years as the Cadette leader. Because she was a girl scout for four years, she will receive a 10-year pin next year with her Cadettes who will have been in scouting for 10 years. "It's very rewarding to see these girls earn something or get to Europe because you're there to help them. I enjoy working with girls," she commented. com-mented. "It makes me feel younger, and I feel closer to my daughters." Despite Phyllis' obvious interests in scouting, there is a shortage of Girl Scout leaders in the area. "I guess people just feel they don't have the time," she said. Phyllis is the trainer for leaders of the local troops which include Brownie troops in Maeser, Central, Ashley and Discovery Elementaries and Junior troops at Central and Discovery Elementaries. Leaders are required to attend an orientation and take part in two sessions of basic leadership training and age level training. "Two of our I , 1 "' y , - ... Yt I ' - T"- c X. h vy -y v - i I.. . . s ; ' ' : s-" . . ' . I ': r . - W- KATHY FREESTONE'S Brownie troop at Central Elementary sings "Alice the Camel" with the help of Regina Freestone and Cheri Mecham, Brownie leaders don't have children of their own," she said, "so leaders don't necessarily have to have girls in the troop." Anyone interested in being a Girl Scout Leader could call Phyllis r Cadette Girl Scouts who act as assistant leaders for the troop of about 20 girls. Mecham at 789-1714 or Donna Craine, the Neighborhood Chairman at 789-2834 for more information. And for those of you who forgot to order cookies this year, there will be a booth sale of Girl Scout Cookies April 17 at Day's Thriftway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Smith's Food King from 2 to 5 p.m. |