Girl Scouts Celebrate 100 Years

Most people are familiar with Girl Scouts for one thing - cookie sales. However, cookies, and their associated fundraising, are only one part of the social, physical, and mental development opportunities that Scouting provides.

The Girl Scouts celebrate their 100th anniversary today, March 12. Founded in 1912, the Scouts currently have 2.3 million members, 1 million adult volunteers and 50 million alumnae worldwide.

Debbie Soles, troop leader of local Junior Troop 7188, said that her troop will be celebrating the Scouts' birthday by visiting the Spring-Ford Historical Society on Monday night from 6:30-8:00 p.m. to see a collection of Girl Scout memorabilia on display. 

Soles said her troop has been doing several things to celebrate the anniversary and has other events planned for the next few months. 

"Back before Christmas, we did a Pajama Challenge to collect pairs of pajamas. The challenge was to collect 100 pairs of pajamas and we collected over 400," Soles said.

The pajamas were donated to organizations like Laurel House in Norristown and Phoenixville Area Community Services.

Dyanne Wark, Volunteer Bureau Chief for the Spring-Ford Girl Scouts, said that "collect 100 items" challenges have been going on for several months. 

Soles said her troop's next big event will be a Baby Bundles baby shower, a council-wide event at the Spring-Ford 7th Grade Center. The event will be from 9am-2pm on Saturday, March 24th.

Troops from this area will collect baby items - diapers, blankets, bibs, bottles, formula, and other supplies - and make bundles of items that will then be donated to Baby's Breath in Collegeville. 

"We need adult volunteers," said Soles. "We encourage anyone who could volunteer to give us a hand."