Girl Scouts seek 'Women of Excellence'

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Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines join Girl Scouts around the nation to celebrate Girl Scout Week, March 8-14. The week honors the 97th anniversary of Girl Scouting in the U.S.

In the Alexandria area, Girl Scout Week is a time to call for nominations for the 14th annual Women of Excellence Awards.

The awards recognize women who have excelled in their chosen commitments and through their efforts have been contemporary role models to girls in West Central Minnesota.

Honorees will be recognized at a celebration on Tuesday, June 16 at 5 p.m. at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Alexandria.

The categories are:

• Women Promoting Diversity. In recognition of our global society and the need to prepare young people to live together in harmony, this category recognizes a woman who has made significant community contributions to: inclusiveness awareness and understanding; strengthening human relations; promoting gender equity and inclusion of the physically challenged.

• Women Preparing Young Women Today. This category honors a woman who has made a significant contribution to girls’ and young women’s preparations for the future. This may be through her work in gender equity, the development of girls, or her work as a role model or mentor.

• Women Strengthening Our Communities for Tomorrow. This category honors a woman who has made a significant impact on the quality of life in our communities. This may include individuals who have worked to alleviate community problems, supported quality of life projects or contributed to the economic growth and stability of communities.

• Women Dedicated to the Girl Scout Way. This category honors a woman who is significantly involved in Girl Scouting. This may include individuals who are current Girl Scouts, troop or Service Unit volunteers, or others who make a significant investment in Girl Scouting.

• Young Women Making a Difference. This category honors a young woman (ages 16-21) who is making a difference in her community through her contributions in leadership, mentorship, achievement and/or service.

Nominations are due Friday, April 10. Individuals may nominate more than one woman in each category. Nominees do not need to be associated with Girl Scouts.

What’s new in Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts now offers the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, a curriculum that fosters specific leadership qualities such as self-esteem, positive values, critical thinking, community spirit and the ability to educate and inspire.

The program takes girls beyond single-interest badges into a series of themed activities based on the understanding that a true leader needs to do three things: discover herself and her values, connect to care about, inspire, and team with others, and take action to make the world a better place.

For more information on how to get involved with Girl Scouts or nominate someone for the Women of Excellence event, call Linda Bear at the Alexandria Girl Scout office, (320) 759-1196 or e-mail lbear@gslakesandpines.org.

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