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Valley volunteers take the Girl Scouts’ Youngstown Initiative
The Vindicator
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Girl Scouts Ja-Kayla Martin, 5, left, and Ja-Kyra Martin, 7, with their mother and former Girl Scout Kendra Allen. Allen started Troop 80171, sponsored by Zionhill Baptist Church, 220 Jefferson St., nearly two years ago.
The Vindicator
Photo
Girl Scout patches collected by Ja-Kayla Martin.
Thanks Badge II: For those who already have received the Thanks Badge for providing continued service to the Council or Girl Scout movement, Debra Dale, West Farmington, and Bonnie “Bene” Loomis, Warren.
Honor Pin: For those who provide services to two or more geographic areas, Buffy Malone, Lisbon, troop leader,
Lisbon service-unit director, and membership delegate for Columbiana County.
Appreciation Pin: For outstanding service to a geographic area or program delivery audience, Kendra Allen, Youngstown, troop leader and service-unit director; Shirley Brady, Warren, GSNEO First LEGO League coach; Kristina DelliQuadri, Mineral Ridge, troop leader and service-unit director; Jami Gilronan, Warren, troop leader and service-
unit director; Traci Hill, Hubbard, troop leader and service- unit product-sales coordinator; Barbara Mraz, Canfield, troop leader, service-team member; and Barb Fieger, Elyria, assistant camp director and program volunteer at Camp Sugarbush, Kinsman.
Source: Girl Scouts of North East Ohio
YOUNGSTOWN
The Girl Scouts of America is looking for more than a few Youngstown girls and young women.
The Girl Scouts’ Youngstown Initiative seeks to recruit 300 new Youngstown Girl Scouts by the spring of 2012, the 100th anniversary of the organization, said Gerard Kelly, service area director for the Girl Scouts North East Ohio that includes Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties.
At a recent kickoff event for the Youngstown Initiative, 44 girls from Youngstown signed up to become Girl Scouts, exceeding the event’s goal of 40; an additional 36 from outside the city also signed up, Kelly said.
Girl Scouts also wants to recruit 25 adult volunteers who will be trained to provide programming to girls in troops or groups in schools, community centers, churches, libraries and other collaborating partner locations.
The initiative is funded by three area foundations: The Raymond John Wean Foundation, $30,000; Youngstown Foundation, $20,000; and the Kennedy Family Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, $10,500. The remainder of the $92,753 project budget, $32,253, will come from GSNEO, Kelly said.
As part of the initiative, a full-time staff person dedicated to the Youngstown area is expected to be hired by the end of May to develop the 300 girls and to recruit adult volunteers.
Girl Scouts is a volunteer- driven organization, and a major push will be made to find adult leaders, he said.
When Kelly took his position in 2009, he said Youngstown was an underserved population with a huge need for quality youth programs. “I made the city a priority,” he said.
Kendra Allen started Troop 80171, sponsored by Zionhill Baptist Church, 220 Jefferson St., nearly two years ago primarily because her then 6-year-old daughter was interested. She now has 10 girls ages 5 through 11 in the troop, which meets once a week at the church. Troop 80171 is one of just two troops in Youngstown.
Being a Girl Scout builds character, and they can learn a lot from other girls, said Allen, 26, who works as a parent volunteer at East High School and runs a wedding business called Your Guardian Angel.
“Our family camps, but some of the girls in the troop had never been camping before joining the Girl Scouts, and they learn to give back to the community,” Allen said. “For instance, we donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and give gloves to the Rescue Mission [of the Mahoning Valley].”
Julie Ann Long of Struthers started Troop 80635 in September 2010 and has 40 girls. She said she is turning girls away. The troop meets weekly at Struthers Presbyterian Church, 110 Poland Ave.
“It does get overwhelming. It is more demanding that I expected, but it is also definitely rewarding,” said Long, who works at Puzzlemania in Eastwood Mall in Niles.
“I was talked into being a troop leader by friends and the Girl Scout office. What’s rewarding for me is being involved in and helping in their lives,” Long added. “I was told by the woman who trained me that women who were former members of her troop approach her and thank her for being involved in their lives when they were girls.”
“In Girl Scouting, we believe every girl has the potential to be an academic achiever and a leader in her school, family, community and future profession. Girls simply need the skills and confidence to lead,” said Kimberley Graves, GSNEO spokeswoman.
Girl Scout programs are designed to promote a child’s development and understanding of the world through caring relationships with adults, a safe, cohesive forum to work together, motivation through praise and success, and many opportunities to flex their imagination. Additionally, the need for a comprehensive financial literacy program, particularly in these trying economic times, cannot be overstated, Graves said.
“We are excited to be part of a transformative movement in Youngstown,” said Daisy Alford-Smith, the GSNEO chief executive officer.
“The greater community always benefits when its youth are steered toward positive activities that help them reach their full potential while becoming productive citizens,” she said.