CITY NEWS
LET’S GO, G.I.R.L.S! GIRL SCOUTS UNLEASH THE GO-GETTERS, INNOVATORS, RISK-TAKERS AND LEADERS WITHIN EVERY GIRL By Alison Bailin Batz FOR SIX WEEKS EACH YEAR, GIRL SCOUTS IN ARIZONA PARTICIPATE IN THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM. From Jan. 21 – Mar. 3, more than 12,000 girls in central and northern Arizona will be walking around neighborhoods and boothing in front of local stores learning entrepreneurial skills while selling delicious cookies. Not only is every cookie sale a teachable moment, but because all proceeds stay local, girls are able to enjoy summer camp, robotics programs, field trips and even adventures out of state in a safe environment. Sales also have the potential to impact the community as troops reinvest their proceeds with service projects. WHY GIRL SCOUTS Girls face unique challenges, and they need support from the very beginning to build the resilience and confidence to overcome peer and media pressure. Research shows that single-gender environments build connectedness, competence and confidence in girls. While most schools and many extracurricular programs are now co-ed, Girl Scouts is one of the few singlegender organizations accessible to all girls and young women.
The inclusive, girl-led, all-female environment of a Girl Scout troop creates a safe space in which girls can try new things, develop a range of skills, take on leadership roles, and feel comfortable failing, dusting themselves off, and trying again. YOUR LOCAL GIRL SCOUTS Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) started in 1936, and over the past 80-plus years has grown to serve more than 21,000 girls grades K-12 in over 90 communities across central and northern Arizona. In 2018, GSACPC completed its fiveyear, $18 million Campaign for Girls in Arizona. Through the campaign, the Girl Scouts not only built and opened The Bob & Renee Parsons Leadership Center for Girls & Women at Camp South Mountain, an ADA-accessible year-round urban program center with camp appeal, but now own it debt free. The center exponentially increased GSACPC’s capacity to serve more girls with relevant programming, from aquatics to STEM, all year long. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT As in previous years, GSACPC is proud to partner with Fry’s, Food City, Bashas’ and Safeway, each of whom will offer local troops the opportunity to sell Girl
Scout Cookies during cookie season. To find a booth at your local grocery store (and other retailers) visit girlscoutsaz. org/cookiefinder. In addition, for the sixth year in a row, chefs at more than two dozen restaurants across the Valley and Flagstaff will go head-to-head to create a winning dessert using one of the Girl Scout Cookie flavors. The new creations will be sold in their restaurants Feb. 1-28, with a portion of proceeds benefitting the local girls. Here’s which cookie each of the local participants – those located in the Northeast Valley in your own backyard – got assigned: • The Thumb: Trefoils • Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale Troon North: Samoas • PNPK Craft Slider + Wine Bar: Do-
Si-Do • Lovecraft: Thin Mint • Ocean Prime: Thin Mint • ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho: Samoas • Rusconi’s American Kitchen: Samoas • The Herb Box: Savannah Smiles • Babbo: Samoas • 32 Shea: Thin Mint • Aioli Burger: Samoas • Original Gravity: Savannah Smiles • Phoenix Ale Brewery Central Kitchen: Thin Mint The chefs are putting their support behind the girls and want to inspire the community to do the same by not only coming in to taste their creations, but by buying an extra box or two to try their hand at making a dessert at home. For more, visit www.girlscoutsaz.org.
BUSY TIMES AND NEW LOCATION FOR ARIZONA HELPING HANDS HAVING SETTLED INTO A NEW HOME AT 3110 E THUNDERBIRD ROAD IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA HELPING HANDS is wasting no time in expanding services to children in foster care and involving our community in new and exciting ways. In December, the organization provided holiday toys to 8,000 children through their 20th Holiday Toy Drive. More than 100 businesses participated in toy collection programs to make the holidays joyful for so many. The year ended with the Mac & Gaydos KTAR Caring for Kids
collection drive filling the warehouse with diapers and more. 250,000+ diapers were collected through the event sponsored by Canyon State Credit Union. Collection boxes were also filled throughout December at all local Walgreens locations. On New Years’ Eve, 70 volunteers from the University of Central Florida, who were in town for the Fiesta Bowl, spent time sorting and organizing the vast quantity of donations. The team mascot, Knightro, along with the “Momsquad” (football player’s moms), alumni, spirit team, University president and other faculty and staff participated in this community give-back opportunity.
4 • February 2019 • NORTH 32ND NEWS
2019 began with a two-day event on January 3 and 4, as back to school clothing was provided for hundreds of children in foster care. In partnership with the Assistance League of Phoenix, and with funding from the BHHS Legacy Foundation, Operation School Bell gave boys and girls a brand new wardrobe.
Dan Shufelt, President and CEO of Arizona Helping Hands, tells us that with 15,000+ kids in foster care, there is so much work to do. “We love being able to provide support to kids throughout the State of Arizona. We can do nothing without support from the
community. We strive to put smiles on the faces of boys and girls who haven’t seen enough joy in their lives. Through collaboration and working together, we all can make a difference for kids in foster care!”
The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation provided the lead gift to the Arizona Helping Hands $3 million capital campaign, enabling the organization to move into their new 18,000 square foot home and to accommodate these increased programs. To learn more, visit www. azhelpinghands.org. north32ndnews.com
