Thursday, April 18, 2013

Girl Scout Advocacy Day Honored by Alabama Legislators

On Thursday, April 11, Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama and Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama were honored with a resolution from the Alabama House of Representatives acknowledging Girl Scout Advocacy Day.

Girl Scouts led the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance in the House and Senate that day, and councils and Honorary Troop 1912, whose members are elected officials, hosted a Girl Scout Cookie reception that allowed Girl Scouts to interact with the public and elected officials to share updates on Girl Scout programs. Co-chairs of Troop 1912, Rep. Jamie Ison (R-Mobile) and Terri Collins (R-Decatur), along with the legislative staff, offered the Girl Scouts an opportunity to shadow all female legislators for the day.

Girl Scouts has been building girls of courage, confidence and character since 1912. What started with 18 girls led by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Ga, has grown to more than 3.2 million Girl Scout members in the USA and an alumnae base of more than 59 million American women. Girl Scouts is open to all girls ages 5 to 17 and values diversity and inclusiveness.

The Girl Scouts of Southern and North-Central Alabama councils were excited to announce their legislative agenda as the following: promoting leadership and educational opportunities such as financial literacy and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for girls, healthy living, and supporting a thriving non-profit community. 


Both councils are eager to work with policymakers to create opportunities and environments that foster girls’ leadership development and help consider solutions to a wide range of related and overlooked issues that disproportionately affect girls’ healthy living involving bullying, healthy media images, and eating disorders. Girl Scouts also seeks to partner with policymakers to ensure that all girls have financial literacy skills and support the role of youth-serving organizations in providing real-world financial literacy experiences for girls, in addition to encouraging policymakers and community leaders to work with human services organizations to ensure a healthy, effective and strong non-profit community. 

Members of Troop 1912 include Alabama Senate members Linda Coleman (D), Priscilla Dunn (D), Vivian Figures (D), Mark Keahey (D), Hank Sanders (D), Bobby Singleton (D), Harri Anne Smith (I) and Cam Ward (R). House of Representatives members include Mike Hubbard, Speaker of the House (R), Alan Baker (R), Elaine Beech (D), Barbara Boyd (D), Merika Coleman (D), Paul DeMarco (R), Juandalyn Givan (D), Laura Hall (D), Terri Collins (R), Mary Sue McClurkin (R), Joseph Mitchell (D), Mary Moore (D), Becky Nordgren (R), Patricia Todd (D), Mark Tuggle (R), Pebblin Warren (D), Kurt Wallace (R), Jamie Ison (R) and April Weaver (R).

Pictured: Faith & Kelly of Jemison with Senator Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham)