Girl Scout membership increases in eastern Missouri

Since the merger of the former Girl Scouts of the Becky Thatcher Area and the former Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis to become Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri (GSEM), as of last October, 16 northern counties of the GSEM council including Putnam, Clark, Knox, Monroe, Ralls have seen a 40 percent increase in membership, or about another 500 girls who have become Girl Scouts.
For rural counties where population density is less than the council’s areas that include larger, denser cities and suburbs, this is a notable increase for Girl Scouts -  both in numbers, and in meeting the Girl Scout approach of engaging “every girl, everywhere.”
GSEM Membership Development Manager Roslyn Hamilton, who recruits girl members for Schuyler, Scotland, Knox, Clark and Lewis counties in GSEM’s jurisdiction, had the largest percentage increase in the council’s northern counties during the last year.  Utilizing outreach programs that go beyond traditional troop membership, Hamilton bumped her district’s total of 267 members to 511 from 2007 to 2008 and attributes her success to volunteers, leaders and families and community support; especially from the schools in the districts, which Hamilton says “has been nothing short of amazing.
With the council’s new membership year starting on Oct. 1, Hamilton and her colleagues will continue with recruiting more girls to take advantage of what Girl Scouting offers, and also, to encourage more adults to volunteer with GSEM, especially those in the 18-29 age bracket.
For more information about Girl Scouts and/or to become a volunteer, contact Carolyn Taylor at the GSEM’s Hannibal Service Center, (573) 221-0339.