Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been involved with Girl Scouts for 22 years. I will be volunteering at camp this summer for the 21st time. I will be director of said camp for the 18th year! I have three grown daughters who join me as lifetime members and camp volunteers. The vast majority of women I have encountered as volunteers are Christian, and the majority of those Christian women are Catholic!! Whenever I'm asked why I continue to support and, Heaven forbid, volunteer for this satanic organization (yes, I've been told that), I reply 1) I do it for the girls, to raise true leaders with solid values, and 2) I do it because if not me and the other Christians/Catholics involved, what hope is left for GSUSA?
Also, you are correct that individual troops (not even councils) make decisions about their alliances, but even alliances are rare. You see, Girl Scouts are not allowed to raise money or donate money to ANY outside organization. It's a hard and fast rule that CANNOT be broken without penalty of being barred. Only girls working on the Gold Award (the "equivalent" of but much, much harder and in depth than the Eagle Scout) can partner with outside organizations, but they still cannot donate or raise money for them. And only 3% of all Girl Scouts will do the work necessary to obtain this award, so you calculate how many outside organizations benefit from Girl Scouts. How do I know all this for sure????
My oldest daughter (president of her Catholic school's Pro-Life Club) earned her Gold Award by partnering with the Knights of Columbus and a local Lutheran Church to expand the PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CENTER in our county. She was allowed to hold a carnival to raise money for equipment (she bought a sonogram machine), but she could not give them any money. When there was money leftover (yes, it was a VERY big and well-attended / supported event right here on Maryland's little, tiny Eastern Shore), she used all the extra funds to purchase pregnancy tests, disposable sheets and gowns, etc.
So, there you have it. There are many Catholic volunteers in Girl Scouts who feel that we have an obligation to the Christian values of our founder to instill those values in our girls. No money from any Girl Scout, troop, or council directly goes to an outside organization. There are Girl Scouts, troops, and councils who support pro-life causes. I hope this helps everyone see this organization as something worth supporting, for the sake our girls and their future.
1/ just bought cookies from Tess. 2/ Both of my girls were Brownies/Girl Scouts. We lived in a small town in NH and we met at the Congregational Church every week. It was time spent with friends doing fun things and doing good deeds. Honestly I never had any idea about Planned Parenthood etc…I think people just get too wrapped up in the things that are BAD vs. looking at the good. (Helllo internet!)
I’m getting to this late so you may be out of the comments section, but wanted to say thank you for this piece/repost! It’s very timely as we look at some next-year scouting choices.
I also wanted to ask- would you be open to sharing why you’re a no on Old Navy?
He offered a substitute organization from St Louis that was very small, almost unheard of. I don’t remember what that organization was called, but my kids had outgrown Girl Scouts by then. I always loved their cookies and thought it was a wonderful organization for girls to learn to work together and serve others. I’m sorry to hear it’s still under attack. If I still ate cookies, I’d definitely order some!
This is a really thoughtful piece and I think it’s a personal decision. I am personally not comfortable with their policy of accepting transgender girls even on a case-by-case basis HOWEVER I think thoughtful and faithful people can disagree on this issue.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been involved with Girl Scouts for 22 years. I will be volunteering at camp this summer for the 21st time. I will be director of said camp for the 18th year! I have three grown daughters who join me as lifetime members and camp volunteers. The vast majority of women I have encountered as volunteers are Christian, and the majority of those Christian women are Catholic!! Whenever I'm asked why I continue to support and, Heaven forbid, volunteer for this satanic organization (yes, I've been told that), I reply 1) I do it for the girls, to raise true leaders with solid values, and 2) I do it because if not me and the other Christians/Catholics involved, what hope is left for GSUSA?
Also, you are correct that individual troops (not even councils) make decisions about their alliances, but even alliances are rare. You see, Girl Scouts are not allowed to raise money or donate money to ANY outside organization. It's a hard and fast rule that CANNOT be broken without penalty of being barred. Only girls working on the Gold Award (the "equivalent" of but much, much harder and in depth than the Eagle Scout) can partner with outside organizations, but they still cannot donate or raise money for them. And only 3% of all Girl Scouts will do the work necessary to obtain this award, so you calculate how many outside organizations benefit from Girl Scouts. How do I know all this for sure????
My oldest daughter (president of her Catholic school's Pro-Life Club) earned her Gold Award by partnering with the Knights of Columbus and a local Lutheran Church to expand the PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CENTER in our county. She was allowed to hold a carnival to raise money for equipment (she bought a sonogram machine), but she could not give them any money. When there was money leftover (yes, it was a VERY big and well-attended / supported event right here on Maryland's little, tiny Eastern Shore), she used all the extra funds to purchase pregnancy tests, disposable sheets and gowns, etc.
So, there you have it. There are many Catholic volunteers in Girl Scouts who feel that we have an obligation to the Christian values of our founder to instill those values in our girls. No money from any Girl Scout, troop, or council directly goes to an outside organization. There are Girl Scouts, troops, and councils who support pro-life causes. I hope this helps everyone see this organization as something worth supporting, for the sake our girls and their future.
Amazing--your daughter sounds so cool!!!
I appreciate any Scouting related piece that doesn't bash other similar organizations especially in today's environment. It's also timely.
1/ just bought cookies from Tess. 2/ Both of my girls were Brownies/Girl Scouts. We lived in a small town in NH and we met at the Congregational Church every week. It was time spent with friends doing fun things and doing good deeds. Honestly I never had any idea about Planned Parenthood etc…I think people just get too wrapped up in the things that are BAD vs. looking at the good. (Helllo internet!)
I’m getting to this late so you may be out of the comments section, but wanted to say thank you for this piece/repost! It’s very timely as we look at some next-year scouting choices.
I also wanted to ask- would you be open to sharing why you’re a no on Old Navy?
Thanks for this (and for updating it and re-sharing it).
I was a Camp Fire Girl and loved it. Some of my friends were Girl Scouts. My kids grew up in a Girl Scout area and loved it. I never knew there was a « Girl Scout problem » until 2017 when our Archbishop outlawed the Girl Scouts. See: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/02/526570123/kansas-city-archdiocese-cutting-ties-with-girl-scouts-over-troubling-trends
He offered a substitute organization from St Louis that was very small, almost unheard of. I don’t remember what that organization was called, but my kids had outgrown Girl Scouts by then. I always loved their cookies and thought it was a wonderful organization for girls to learn to work together and serve others. I’m sorry to hear it’s still under attack. If I still ate cookies, I’d definitely order some!
This is a really thoughtful piece and I think it’s a personal decision. I am personally not comfortable with their policy of accepting transgender girls even on a case-by-case basis HOWEVER I think thoughtful and faithful people can disagree on this issue.