Tue, Dec 02 2008
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Published October 10, 2008 10:45 pm - Girl Scout volunteers teach skills to last a lifetime By Keith Purtell Phoenix Staff Writer As enthusiastic Girl Scouts poured into the room, volunteer leaders scurried to make sure all their materials were ready. Dozens of young girls with Troop 1006 were meeting Monday afternoon at St. Joseph Catholic School. The chatter of cheerful voices filled the room as they found their places at tables. One of the volunteers was Karen Witherell, 39, who said she shares their feelings. “They just get so excited,” she said. “The kinds of things you get to do when you’re part of a Girl Scout group or volunteer activities are usually things the kids want to do. It’s arts and crafts, or it’s songs, or it’s games. It’s fun to watch them have fun.” Witherell said she always tries to add some of her own energy to the mix. “I’ve noticed that your own enthusiasm is infectious,” she said. “And if you look like you’re excited about something you are getting ready to do, they think, ‘Wow something exciting is about to happen!’” The youngsters, in kindergarten through the sixth grade, set up a chore chart, had a snack, held a solemn flag ceremony and joined in song time. Suzy Chapple, 34, who volunteers with Girl Scouts in fourth, fifth and sixth grades, said the girls are acquiring skills to last a lifetime. “They’ll learn how to try new things, how to not be afraid to try something different, and how to be a leader,” she said. “They learn about trying something even though you may not be good at it, learning to share, and being respectful of everyone’s feelings.” The girls also learn to speak up and to express themselves in a constructive way. “We ask their opinion on things,” Chapple said. “I think that they learn to be able to tell you what their opinion is.” Chapple got involved when her daughter Ellie was old enough to join the group. “I’ve been a volunteer leader since my daughter was in kindergarten,” she said. “There hadn’t been a Girl Scout troop active here for several years. This is my fifth year.” Chapple remembered her own years as a Girl Scout when she first got hooked. 
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