In 2025, we continued to make dreams come true by providing Girl Scouts with extensive opportunities to discover new skills, build confidence, and realize their potential from within. And, with your help, our girls reached new heights in countless ways.
Our girls once again demonstrated how boldly they dream through their Highest Award Take Action projects. This year, 117 Girl Scouts earned their Bronze Award, 37 earned their Silver Award, and 7 earned their Gold Award. Each of these achievements represents dedication, leadership, and a commitment to making their communities better. We are incredibly proud of every Girl Scout who earned one of these prestigious awards in 2025.
Our overall membership remained strong as we proudly welcomed 12,148 Girl Scouts in 2025, reflecting the power of connection, belonging, and opportunity within our movement. Through our Product Programs, # girls participated and showed us how the Cookie Program is so much more than a box of sweet treats.
Girl Scouts also showed how much they “grow” at our Resident and Day Camps. We were thrilled to welcome 604 Girl Scouts at Resident Camp and 1,850 Girl Scouts at Day Camp this year. We also saw outstanding attendance at beloved signature traditions like our Mad Mud (1,165) and Mall Lock-In (1,313) events.
STEM has been a cornerstone of Girl Scouts for 114 years, and it continues to shape our programming in innovative ways. In 2025, we expanded the Wetland Ecosystem Exploration app with our partners at Battelle, adding new features that help girls identify even more species and environmental patterns in our wetlands at Camp Ken-Jockety.
This past year, we celebrated the first full year of operation for the AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center and the Nationwide Foundation Environmental Center—and what an extraordinary year it has been. These new spaces at the Battelle Science and Innovation Campus at Camp Ken-Jockety welcomed thousands of girls, offering life changing STEM, environmental, and innovation focused experiences. As a result, the STEM Center is now filled with a vibrant lineup of programs including Build It, Design It, and Code It. With your support, we are ensuring that every Girl Scout can explore STEM in a way that excites, empowers, and inspires them.
We are profoundly grateful for our girls, volunteers, staff, and generous donors who make these moments—and this movement—possible. Thank you for believing in Girl Scouts and helping today’s girls dream big and achieve even bigger.
With gratitude and excitement for the year ahead,
Tammy Wharton President & Chief Executive Officer Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland
Daisies (Grades K-1)
3,138
Our Membership
Community Outreach Impact
3,890
Juniors (Grades 4-5)
2,784
Cadettes (Grades 6-8)
In addition to traditional troops, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland (GSOH) offers Community Outreach programs to girls in underserved and underrepresented communities throughout our council. The Community Outreach Program introduces the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to girls who are in communities where barriers exist beyond their control and allows them to participate as a Girl Scout in an environment that is familiar to them.
Last year, we were able to serve 1,464 girls through Community Outreach programs. Partnerships included: Columbus Bilingual Academy North, Columbus Montessori, Chillicothe City Schools, Columbus City Schools, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, YMCA, Juvenile Intervention Center, The Friendly House, Mansfield Discovery Center, and many others. We are so grateful to all our community partners that help us provide all girls with a no-limits place to learn, a place to be inspired, and the tools to thrive.
Some of our current programs include:
Girl Scout Experience Box (Available for grades K-2)
499 Brownies (Grades 2-3)
1,519 Ambassadors (Grades 11-12)
A program that focuses on hands-on learning that encourages creativity and exploration, while helping girls build strong social skills through teamwork, communication, and friendship.
Girl Scout Program Sampler (Available for grades K-5)
Seniors (Grades 9-10)
373 Direct Service
Volunteers
4,620
A program that explores a variety of fun and interactive activities that includes learning about Girl Scouts, building self-esteem, practicing empathy and kindness, experimenting with hands-on science projects, and getting outdoors.
Resilient, Ready, Strong (Available for grades 3-8)
A program developed for girls to build their inner strength and resilience so that they are ready for anything.
Resilient, Ready, Empowered (Available for grades 3-8)
A program that provides girls with insight and engaging activities in a space that allows them to grow and learn.
The Benefits of Girl Scouts:
Fun Activities: Research-backed programs to develop her skills
Memorable Experiences: Girl centered adventures and service initiatives
Prestigious Awards: Leadership awards and scholarship opportunities
Travel Opportunities: Exclusive chances to explore the world
Lifelong Sisterhood: Friendships and a strong community, locally and beyond
Alum Spotlight
Diane Dolan
Diane Dolan’s Girl Scout journey began as a girl and has now grown into 30 plus years of dedicated adult volunteer service. Through her decades of service, she has remained constant: showing up for girls, sharing skills, and living the Girl Scout Promise and Law in meaningful, everyday ways.
From teaching outdoor skills at day camp to guiding volunteers behind the scenes, Diane’s impact has reached generations of Girl Scouts. Her compassion and steady presence have helped girls build confidence, try new things, and discover what they can achieve.
Within Northwest Service Unit 901, Diane is a trusted leader and familiar face. She has served as a service unit manager, delegate, team member, troop camp facilitator, and member of the Adult Recognitions Committee, roles she has embraced with humility, care, and a deep sense of responsibility.
Often described as the steady pulse of her service unit, Diane mentors new volunteers,
What Girl Scouts Has Meant to Me
Girl Scouts has been a life enriching voyage of:
“DISCOVERING that we can do it, that we can meet challenges and solve problems, and that we really can help others.”
“CONNECTING with acceptance and inclusion friends old and new, girls and adults, and that we can do it together whether ceremonies or events, camping or service projects.”
“LIFELONG LEARNING about our world and skills that can enrich our lives and the lives of those we serve.”
- Diane Dolan
models adaptability as Girl Scouting evolves, and leads with positivity and professionalism. Her “can-do” attitude creates a culture where others feel supported, empowered, and ready to grow as leaders themselves.
Diane’s dedication has been recognized through numerous honors, including the Appreciation Pin (2007), Thanks Badge (2013), Volunteer of Excellence (2014), Thanks Badge II (2020), and the Honor Award (2022). While the awards reflect her service, it is the countless lives she has touched that truly define her legacy.
What Girl Scouts Do
What’s in a Badge?
Girl Scouts learn new skills by earning Proficiency Badges created by Girl Scouts of the USA. Each badge has five steps that are designed to help girls explore subjects like STEM, life skills, the outdoors and entrepreneurship. As they progress through our grade levels and complete more badges, they gain a deeper understanding of not only the world around them but also of themselves.
8,906 STEM Badges Earned
15,576 Life Skills Badges Earned
10,995 Outdoor Badges Earned
6,528 Entrepreneurship Badges Earned
Highest Awards Stars
Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award Girl Scouts have what it takes to make the world a better place. At Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, we celebrate Girl Scouts who dream big and take big steps today through important Take Action projects to make change happen.
In 2025, we honored Gold and Silver Award Girl Scouts in a Highest Awards Ceremony at the AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center. Gold Award Girl Scouts spent time with President and CEO Tammy Wharton and shared their project impacts with attendees through a networking reception following the ceremony. Silver Award Girl Scouts also shared some of their projects through posters and printed materials during the networking reception and were truly inspired by conversations with Gold Award Girl Scouts and mentors.
Danielle Thompson’s Gold Award project, Movement Can Help with Mental and Physical Health, focused on promoting dance as a way to improve mental health and mobility, particularly for adults and seniors. Recognizing the rise in depression and anxiety, the project highlighted how dance can reduce stress, improve mood, and boost self-confidence. It also addressed mobility issues in older adults caused by sedentary lifestyles. To spread awareness, the project included pamphlets detailing exercises and their benefits, which were distributed at a church, assisted living facilities, a library, and a Starbucks. Through this project, Danielle strived to show her community that movement is for everyone, not just one group of people and that dance can bring lots of joy and fun across the lifespan.
Product Program Report
454,449 Thin Mints
305,287 Samoas
253,856 Tagalongs
173,476 Do-Si-Dos
136,635 S’mores
120,974 Adventurefuls
106,747 Trefoils
86,697 Lemon-Ups
46,679 Toffee-tastic
2,626 girls who participated
69,381 units of products sold
4,803 magazines sold
19 of Fall Product Stellar Sellers
7,818 girls who participated
52,030 Operation Salute Packages donated
1,736,830 packages sold
120 Cookie Stellar Sellers
Camps and the Outdoors
Resident Camp at Molly Lauman: Camp All-Stars!
Our summer at Resident Camp was full of friendship and fun! We welcomed back Resident Camp Director Megan “Willow” Reardon as well as counselors from around the world. 604 all-star campers participated in swimming, cookouts, and more at Camp Molly Lauman. Some of our most popular camp sessions were Flashlights and Fairytales, Golden Girls, and Wonder Women.
Day Camps: Survivor!
Across our 30-county district, our Day Camp gave girls the chance to experience a summer full of sun, fun, and adventure! Girl Scouts practiced outdoor skills and explored all kinds of parks and places where they could play games, sing songs, cook over a fire and so much more. Thanks to the tireless help of our amazing day camp volunteers, 1,850 Girl Scouts found new friends and experienced camp memories that will last their whole lives!
Our outdoor fun didn’t stop there!
2,015 Girl Scouts
85 girls
grew 2,552 pounds of produce for Girl Scouts Grow. joined us for our annual Outreach program Camp Amigas at Camp Ken-Jockety.
1073 participants
came out for our annual Halloween Hike at Camp Ken-Jockety for some spooky fun.
128 Girl Scouts
joined us for some fall fun at Camp Crooked Lane for our annual Fall Festival.
250 attendees
came to our Tree Tappers Festival to learn all about our maple syrup operation at Camp Ken-Jockety and to enjoy some sweet maple syrup.
Our Signature Events
Here at Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, we have some amazing events that are exclusively available to our members. From challenging yourself on a mud-filled obstacle course to seeing how maple syrup is made and goes from tree to table, there is no shortage of exciting things to do all over central Ohio.
Mad Mud
The Mad Mud Challenge returned to Camp Crooked Lane for its 13th year! 1,165 participants climbed, jumped, and crawled through the obstacle course while being cheered on by supportive spectators.
Mall Lock-In
This year’s Mythical Mall Lock-In was the biggest one to date! 921 Girl Scouts danced and shopped the night away at Polaris Fashion Place. Girl Scouts had a blast with the past and practiced their financial literacy skills to earn prize tickets. New activities this year included Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Build-a-Bear and a henna tattoo artist.
Fairy Tale Ball
346 Daisies and Brownies dressed up in their best royal attire for Fairy Tale Ball! They danced to their favorite music, had their pictures taken in the photo booth, and built their very own castles.
Project Artemis
144 Girl Scouts got to be space explorers for an evening at Project Artemis. This out-of-this-world program gave girls the chance to test their own rockets, learn about the planets in our solar system, and more at the AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center.
Cardboard Boat Regatta
30 teams constructed life-sized boats made of cardboard and duct tape and set sail on the pond at Camp Crooked Lane for Cardboard Boat Regatta.
ImagineCON
Worlds and fandoms took center stage at ImagineCON! 51 Girls Scouts dressed to impress in their favorite cosplay costumes and got creative with pop culture inspired art projects and workshops.
Girl Scouts and STEM
At Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, we focus on programming that develops girls’ courage, confidence, and character to prepare them for a lifetime of leadership. Our programs help girls’ ambition shine through! We accomplish this through experience in the four program pillars of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), the outdoors, life skills, and entrepreneurship. Studies show that girls develop their unique STEM identity by third grade, and their confidence peaks by age nine.
STEM Day Camps
This year we hosted our first STEM Day Camps. These camps were designed to be immersive experiences to give girls of all ages a one-of-akind camp experience. From Icky Sticky STEM to Hard Hat Hoopla, 82 Girl Scouts were able to use every aspect of the CK Construction Maker Space and Nationwide Environmental Center to learn valuable skills in problemsolving, designing, and innovation to bring their visions to life.
Our 2025 STEM Day Camps:
STEM Programs
This fall we hosted the inaugural GSOH STEM Challenge. Working in teams, girls selected an endangered species, researched the specific threats it faces, and designed and built protoypes of solutions to help protect it.
With the help of 28 STEM professionals, 71 Girl Scouts used tools like a Chompsaw, a kidsafe power tool used for cutting cardboard, available in our spaces to build their prototypes and then presented their projects to a panel of judges. From polar bears to coral reefs, this sold-out program encouraged Girl Scouts to use the scientific method to identify real life problems and use their voices to make a difference as a team.
State of the Girl
On March 4, 2025, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland hosted the 12th annual State of the Girl, a signature event elevating girls’ voices and highlighting the issues shaping their lives. From girls just beginning their leadership journeys to accomplished alumni, the event reflected the power of Girl Scouting to prepare girls to lead with courage, confidence, and character.
This year, the event was held for the first time in the new AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center on the Battelle Science and Innovation Campus at Camp Ken-Jockety, where guests toured the space and learned how the Center is expanding hands-on STEM and leadership
opportunities for girls. Highlights included insights from the newly released Ohio State of the Girl Report, an inspiring keynote from Janica Pierce Tucker, Partner-in-Charge of Taft’s Columbus office, and remarks from Cadette Vivienne, Ambassador Sara, and Tammy Wharton, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland.
Proceeds from the event supported programs that equip girls with the skills and confidence to thrive as leaders. We are deeply grateful to our 2025 sponsors and everyone who attended. This support ensures that girls can explore, dream, and discover their passions, becoming changemakers today and tomorrow.
2025 Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor:
Gold Sponsor:
Silver Sponsors:
Bronze Sponsors:
Vivienne Ahrens, Cadette Girl Scout
Glen and Shakila Ahrens Family Foundation
Bank of America
Cardinal Health
CK Construction Group
Karen Townsend
Host Sponsors:
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
e-Cycle Inc.
King Business Interiors
Kathleen Lach, Morgan Stanley
ms consultants, inc.
PNC
Elizabeth and Collin Seely
Taft Law Firm
Urban Campout
2025 Sponsors
Gold Sponsor:
Silver Sponsors:
Amgen
Bath & Body Works
Medical Mutual Nationwide
The Worthington Companies Foundation
Bronze Sponsors:
CK Construction
e-Cycle Inc.
Huntington
JPMorgan Chase PNC
Friends of GSOH:
Dave & Amy Franko
Elizabeth & Collin Seely
Molly & Brian Watts
Vorys
Campfire Circle Sponsors:
CME Federal Credit Union
The Grether Family
Mary Gustafson
HNTB
Julie Holbein
Michael Isaacs/Go Mortgage, LLC
Oswald Companies
Trefoil 1
Annette Whittemore
Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland was thrilled to welcome guests to its 8th annual signature fundraiser, Urban Campout: An Evening Under the Stars, held on the Battelle Science and Innovation Campus at Camp Ken-Jockety.
Urban Campout is a casual-chic celebration benefiting GSOH, and this year’s event did not disappoint. More than 350 guests gathered for an unforgettable evening, coming together to invest in girls’ futures.
With the opening of the new AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center, Urban Campout took on a fresh new look. Attendees had the opportunity to tour the space and experience Girl Scout innovation in action, seeing firsthand how the Center is expanding hands-on STEM and leadership opportunities for girls.
Guests enjoyed a beautiful evening outdoors under the stars, filled with both new and favorite activities, from dual axe throwing to classic camp experiences, including slingshots and making s’mores. Live music by Three Ton Toad filled the air as guests mingled and enjoyed the evening. A lively silent auction featuring sports, travel, and leisure packages added to the excitement.
Thanks to the generosity of our guests, sponsors, and donors, proceeds from Urban Campout directly supported Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, helping provide programs that prepare girls for a lifetime of leadership, confidence, and success.
Low Ropes Course
On June 25, 2025, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland officially cut the ribbon on a new Low Ropes Course at the Battelle Science and Innovation Campus at Camp KenJockety, marking another milestone in our commitment to experiential learning and girl-led growth.
This project was made possible through the generous support of the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation and the Columbia Gas/NiSource Charitable Foundation. The ribbon-cutting celebration featured remarks from Tammy Wharton, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland; Cathy Lyttle, Board Chair of the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation; and Lauren Grether, Vice President of Operational Excellence at NiSource and a proud member of the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Board of Directors.
Donors, community leaders, and special guests including Blue Jackets’ mascot Stinger and forward Cole Sillinger celebrated alongside Girl Scouts, who were the very first to test the course.
Designed just a few feet off the ground, the Low Ropes Course provides a safe, supportive environment where girls can take healthy risks, push past perceived limits, and build confidence through hands-on challenges. Each station promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and perseverance, skills that extend far beyond the course itself.
The course blends physical activity with learning. Educational signage helps girls understand how their bodies work during movement, reinforcing concepts like balance, motion, and coordination. More than a place to play, it is a space for growth, discovery, and dynamic learning.
The Low Ropes Course is part of our broader Dream Big Initiative, transforming Camp Ken-Jockety into an immersive STEM learning campus. By combining confidence-building adventure with realworld STEM concepts, the course brings this vision to life empowering girls to climb higher, think bigger, and believe in their limitless potential.
We are grateful to the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation and the Columbia Gas through the NiSource Charitable Foundation for making the Low Ropes Course a reality.
Juliette Gordon Low Society
Leave a Legacy
In March 1912, Juliette Gordon Low gathered just a few girls to begin the Girl Scouts. Juliette’s outstanding leadership was matched by her stewardship when she converted the carriage house of her home into the first Girl Scout national headquarters, and she gifted the property to Girl Scouts in her will.
Juliette’s bequest was the beginning of planned giving for Girl Scouts. In her memory, the Juliette Gordon Low Society was established to thank and honor friends of Girl Scouting who choose to make Girl Scouts part of their legacies and a beneficiary of their estate plans. To celebrate membership in the society, each member will receive a special lapel pin. Members are invited to attend special recognition and educational events and are recognized in select publications.
The Juliette Gordon Low Society’s membership includes those who have designated a planned gift to Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland.
Shakila Ali
Erik and Eva Anderson Girl Scout Movement-wide Challenge Planned Gift Anonymous (x2)
Dianne Belk and Lawrence Calder Girl Scout Movement-wide Challenge Planned Gift
Wayne and Ruth M. Cook
Nancy Cruickshank
Marianne Dean
Tracy A. Elich
Amy Franko
Eileen S. Goodin
Julie Holbein
Kate Logsdon
Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz
Anne Powell Riley
Heidi Hansen McCrory
Anne Schmitz
Ann E. and Douglas W. Teske
Karen Townsend
Teri Varney
Tammy Wharton
Annette L. and Lyle Whittemore
We’d like to honor the following individuals whose commitment to Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland is recognized for their realized planned gifts.
George H. Alber
George H. and Dorothy T. Alber
Emma Barr
Melvin Busch Jr.
Betty Clark
Sara H. Cowgill
Ruth L. Crumrine
Susan Dunlap Marr
Jesse Eyeman
Anna G. Ferguson
Rosemary Flowers
Emmett J. France
Rebecca F. Fraundorfer
A.L. Gregg
Nellie Hatfield
Logan Holl
Walter E. Hoover
Imogene G. Howland
Louise Kling
Thelma and John G. LeBrun
Arline and Clay Littick
Anna J. Lytle
Theodore R. Magnuson
Marcella Niehaus Mahrt
Louis McClain
Mary Jane and Donald McClurg
Phyllis Milks
Mary Ann Moeffert
William B. and Norma Moore
Donald Robbins
Della Selsor
Barbara P. and Larry Smith
Burton Stevenson
Merry E. Texter
Buell F. Webster
George Wooster
Mabel Wurster
Pearl Society
Donors Make a Difference
The Pearl Society includes individuals who have given cumulative gifts of $1,000 or more to our Annual Fund between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.
