Today is the start of something
special, something that will continue throughout 2012 and extend into the next
century; today is the beginning of the Year of the Girl.

March 12, 2012, marks the 100th
anniversary of Girl Scouting, and in honor of this significant milestone, Girl
Scouts of the USA has
launched the Year of the Girl to transform America’s leadership model by
promoting an immediate, sustained nationwide focus on developing and encouraging
girls and their extraordinary leadership potential.

This nationwide initiative will also
feature events and efforts on a local level, throughout the 21 counties served
by Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina. Beginning Feb. 1, girls will pledge to
be “Forever Green,” an effort that will last throughout the year and calls on
girls to reduce plastic waste, observe Earth Hour and create sustainable rain
gardens. These efforts will help reduce our impact on the environment.

On Feb. 23, Girl Scouts from across South Carolina will gather together in Columbia at 9:30 a.m. on the Statehouse steps
to kick off the 100 year celebration on a state level. Key speakers, Girl Scout
Gold Award winners and members of two councils’ boards of directors will speak
about the Year of the Girl and all Girl Scouting has to offer. Members of
honorary Girl Scout Troop 1912, who are current women members of the S.C.
legislature, will also be on hand to celebrate this centennial milestone.

On March 10 in Charleston, Girl
Scouts and supporters from across the state of South Carolina will take part in
Bridging to the Next Century, a daylong event dedicated to celebrating 100
years of Girl Scouting. This event will feature walks across the Ravenel Bridge, walking into the next century of
Girl Scouting, as well as fun activities throughout the day.

Continuing our celebration of 100
years, GSESC will hold a gala event April 19 at 6:30 p.m. at SiMT in Florence. The Centennial
Celebration Extraordinaire will feature Girl Scout greats from across GSESC’s
21 county jurisdiction, live music, dinner, dancing and live and silent
auctions. All proceeds go to benefit Girl Scouts.

In Girl Scouts, girls discover the
fun, friendship and power of girls together. Through enriching experiences,
such as extraordinary field trips, sports skill‐building clinics, community service
projects, cultural exchanges and environmental stewardships, girls grow
courageous and strong. Girl Scouting helps girls develop their full individual
potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill and respect;
develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound
decision‐making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities,
leadership skills and cooperation with others. Girl Scouts of Eastern South
Carolina provides programs and services to more than 9,000 girls and 3,000
adults across 21 counties. For more information on Girl Scouts of Eastern South
Carolina, call (843) 552‐9910 or visit www.girlscoutsesc.org. Like us on
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