Girl Scouts mark 100th anniversary with a special cookie

After 100 years, the Girl Scouts will celebrate its anniversary in 2012 with the “Year of the Girl” on March 12.

Serving as the Service Unit Manager for the Libby area Girl Scouts, Lynn Zimmerman has been a Scout for 47 years.

“I grew up in the Girl Scouts — I’ve always been one,” Zimmerman said. “The Girl Scouts give you the opportunity to do so many different things — the opportunity to travel, camping experiences, meeting people, camp songs and an appreciation for the outdoors.”

Girl Scout cookies are a familiar part of American culture. The cookies were originally made in the kitchens and ovens of girl members, with mothers volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies, as a way to finance troop activities, began as early as 1917 just five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouting in the United States.

The cookie program has helped to build Scouts’ courage, confidence and character. As part of the anniversary celebration, the Scouts have a new cookie flavor, the Savannah Smiles — a crescent shaped, lemon-wedge cookie with lemon chips and dusted in powdered sugar.

Through the Girl Scout Cookie program, girls learn financial literacy skills including goal setting, decision-making, money management, business ethics and people skills. Scouts are empowered to decide how to spend the proceeds generated through their business activity, whether it is for a community service project, trip, or a unique goal designed by the girls.

Zimmerman oversees four groups with individual troop leaders: Angela Reitz leads the Daisies, Charlene Snyder leads the fourth through sixth grade Scouts, Jamie Gillespie leads the Brownies, and Kathy Powers leads the high school Scouts.

“I don’t have any children of my own,” Zimmerman said. “Being a leader in Girl Scouts is the best way for me to help other girls.”

In the “Year of the Girl,” Libby area Scouts have approximately 57 Scouts.

The Montana and Wyoming troops will have the opportunity to earn a commemorative-council badge this year for the anniversary.

The Scouts have invited all former and present leaders, women and girls of the Girl Scouts to join them in the 100-year celebration at an open house. The celebration will be held at the Libby Ambulance Barn from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 11. The celebration will include traditional songs, food and memories to share.

For more information please contact Zimmerman at 293-9347.

For more information about the Girl Scouts persons may visit http://gsmw.org/