Apr 23, 2003 3 min read

Tuesday marked Girl Scout Leader’s Day when Girl Scouts nationwide showed appreciation to the leaders and other volunteers who inspire them and give them the precious gift of time. Girl Scouts of Southwestern Pennsylvania sets aside this day to honor the 6,000 adult volunteers whose commitment, dedication and continuing support have made Girl Scouting possible for 23,000 girl members.

Many volunteers have dedicated years of their lives to our organization. Each year leaders give hundreds of hours to help our Girl Scouts learn skills, gain self-confidence and explore new interests.

Many volunteers are employed outside the home, and they may or may not have children in the organization. Not every Girl Scout adult is a female. One man is leader of his daughter’s troop.

Not every adult works directly with girls. Board members, for example, bring corporate skills in human resources, organizational development, finance and fund development to support our ability to operate effectively. Our volunteers’ diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences greatly influence the manner in which members develop self-potential, relate to others, develop values, and contribute to society.

In the difficult times that our country has been experiencing, the support, encouragement and guidance of leaders has helped our Girl Scouts to continue feeling safe, confident and hopeful. If you know a leader, please be sure to pay tribute to him or her. If you are a leader, on behalf of Girl Scouts of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a heartfelt thank-you for all you do to help girls truly grow strong.

Although we are grateful for the volunteers, we remain in great need of more assistance. I encourage readers to visit www.girlscouts-wpa.org

to find out how you can make a difference in the life of a girl.

Marcia Barber, chief executive officer, Girl Scouts of Southwestern Pennsylvania

Grateful for support

The United Way of South Fayette is a wonderful service organization that supports 16 agencies in an attempt to aid in the effort of providing programs and services, responding to the needs and issues in our area.

For more than 100 years the United Way has brought everyone together to focus on the most critical needs of our local communities.

Donated dollars have been invested to help make situations better for those citizens and families who need a little help. An investment in the United Way helps to mold our children into responsible adults, helps to provide assistance to the disadvantaged and disabled, and helps to ensure that our senior citizens are not forgotten.

It was an extreme privilege to be asked to represent the United Way as a campaign co-chair this past year. To serve with Cheryl Duncan as the other co-chair, a devoted colleague and a real energizer, along with a professional staff and a very supportive board and campaign committee, it was a very positive experience and opportunity for which I am very grateful.

We offer a very special thanks to all of the wonderful people who supported the United Way’s many fundraisers by giving freely of their time, energy and financial resources. In particular, the telethon was my favorite event that reached out to so many in our area. Hopefully future campaign chairs and the board will consider continuing this positive event in association with HSTV.

Jes Hutson

Uniontown