[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    COMMENDING THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA ON THEIR 90TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 11, 2002

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my 
colleagues in commending the service of the Girl Scouts of America on 
their 90th Anniversary. I salute them for their dedicated service to 
the young women of this Nation.
  Girl Scouting began in March of 1912, when founder Juliette Gordon 
Low assembled 18 girls from Savannah, Georgia, for a local Scouting 
meeting. Ms. Low strongly believed that all girls should be given 
opportunities to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually. These 
ideals continue in the organization today as girls acquire self-
confidence, take on responsibility, and are encouraged to think 
creatively while acting with integrity.
  As many of us know, the mission of the Girl Scouts is to help all 
girls grow strong. The organization works hard to empower our nation's 
young women to develop to their full potential as leaders and to set a 
foundation of values for sound decision-making. The Girl Scouts have 
continued to expand programs to address contemporary issues while still 
maintaining their core values.
  Membership in the Girl Scouts has reached 2.7 million, making it the 
largest organization for girls in the world. Well over 30,000 girls are 
involved in the Girl Scouts in South Florida alone. The numbers 
continue to grow as more girls across the nation are exposed to the 
incredible experiences that the Girl Scouts provide.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank and commend the Girl Scouts for 
their efforts over the past 90 years in providing invaluable 
opportunities for girls' growth and development as citizen leaders.

                          ____________________