[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GIRL SCOUTS

 Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, for nearly a century, the Girl 
Scouts have provided girls with enriching, educational, and above-all 
fun activities that have helped to mold more than 50 million women. 
This tradition continues today.
  This year the Girl Scouts are celebrating their 90th birthday. I 
commend their work in shaping society. The Girl Scouts serves to teach 
our future leaders and creates a refuge where young women can find 
themselves.
  Their mission is to help all girls to grow strong. They stress the 
development of a woman's whole being, while fostering physical, mental, 
and spiritual growth. Girl Scouts enables women to reach their full 
potential. Not only do the Girl Scouts empower women to strive for 
their goals, but it teaches them responsibility, values, and decision 
making skills that are the basic foundations for success.
  Since its founding, Girl Scouts across the Nation have been serving 
our communities. During World War I Girl Scouts learned about food 
preservation, sold war bonds, and collected peach pits to use in gas 
mask filters. In the 1950s Girl Scouts were working to break racial 
discrimination. And today Girl Scouts are on the cusp of technological 
insight, working hard to end hunger, save the planet, and help support 
those less fortunate then themselves.
  The simplest things that Girl Scouts do impacts everyday people. In 
the wake of September 11, Girl Scouts across the Nation sent thank-you 
cards to the rescuers, and contributed $1 a piece to send to the 
orphans of Afghanistan. Throughout its long history, Girl Scouts has 
led efforts to tackle important societal issues and has remained 
proactive in its commitment to inclusiveness. Today we look to the 
future and our young people for reassurance. We look to the youth and 
see promise. We know that girls growing up today will need to take on 
challenges involving health, economics, politics, and social change. 
Our future leaders will have to be value conscious, globally aware, 
technologically skilled, and able to act with self-confidence. These 
are the very skills the Girl Scouts work to encourage in every girl.
  Being a Girl Scout is important to the girls. Only a Girl Scout can 
explain what it truly means to be part of the organization. A Girl 
Scout from Illinois put it best:

       Being a Girl Scout is really fun. You can learn about 
     growing up in a fun, roundabout kinda way. You can go on a 
     six-day canoe trip or go on a two-hour hike. You can help 
     with the Special Olympics or help someone with their 
     homework. You can make a quilt or make a get-well card. Being 
     a Girl Scout is being what you want to be.

  Girl Scouts is about being well-rounded and being yourself.

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