Press Release: Girl Scouts River Valleys Seeks 112 New Troop Leaders
March 04, 2024
Local Adults Encouraged to Help Girls Make History By Becoming Troop Leaders During Women’s History Month
ST. PAUL, MN – This month, Girl Scouts River Valleys aims to help girls make history by recruiting more than a hundred new troop leaders. The ambitious goal of 112 new volunteers—in honor of Girl Scouts’ 112th birthday—aims to bridge a gap for the more than 200 youth, including more than a hundred seeking to join BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) Mentored Troops, waiting for a troop leader.
“Some of us had mentors growing up while others struggled without one—we know the importance of role models in a young person’s life,” says Coco Du, Interim Chief Experience Officer of Girl Scouts River Valleys. “Serving as a troop leader is one profound way to be that person for a young person, and to serve and pour into our future generations of leaders.”
Research has shown that a caring adult in their lives can help buffer girls from negative influences, boost their self-confidence, and support their wellbeing. In fact, 80% of Girl Scouts say their leader helps them pursue their goals, and 3 in 4 say their troop leader and Girl Scouting supports their mental health. Yet despite this encouraging data, less than 2% of overall philanthropic funding currently goes to organizations focused on women and girls, making the contributions of volunteers even more valuable.
“This campaign is about asking our community to step up and actively build the kind of world we all want to live in by investing in the next generation of history makers,” says Marisa C. Williams, CEO of Girl Scouts River Valleys. “What would the world look like if every youth in our region could experience the inclusive, nurturing, and supportive environment that Girl Scouting can provide? What would it mean for a generation of girls to embrace the process of becoming the most authentic version of themselves?”
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About Girl Scouts River Valleys
Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys’ work is supported by 6,300 volunteers who deliver the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to nearly 17,200 girls in southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and one county in Iowa. Girl Scouts River Valleys is one of 111 Girl Scout councils that make up the national Girl Scout Movement, sharing the mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.
