By Lois “Lofi” Hirshman, alumna and volunteer

Lofi celebrates her 77^th year as a Girl Scout today, October 10^th. Her Girl Scout career includes time as a girl in Pennsylvania, a leader in New York, and a beloved volunteer in Chapel Hill. In addition, Lofi makes a yearly contribution to Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines. We asked her why she supports our girls, and here’s what she wrote.

When I go into Girl Scout troops today, I ask the girls what is the best thing about Girl Scouts. The answer always comes out FRIENDSHIPS and CAMPING.

What are the girls telling us? They’re saying…

“In this Facebook age, technology cannot replace the face to face experiences of life. We need both.”

Because Girl Scouting is a movement, we change with the needs of the girls we serve, and those needs are dictated by the girls. The Girl Scouting of today is very different than when I came into it in 1937. Today, girls want more technology and business skills along with the traditional camping, singing, and – of course – fun. The new program is doing this. Through its new technical badges, it’s concentration on building the 3 C’s courage, confidence, and character, and developing a basic understanding of business skills through the cookie program.

I also hear our girls say they want a place to be just girls. Girl Scouting is the only all-girl group that gives the girl many areas to examine toward her future life work and hobbies. This is one thing that has not changed.

Lady Baden-Powell, The World Chief Guide, always called Girl Scouting and Guiding a game. We only have to look to our Law and Promise for the rules of Our Great Game of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. They are positive and youth oriented. They mirror the moral code of today, and they fit our technological society. The way we play the game is through the Motto and Mission. Our Motto of doing a good turn has been expanded from the personal good turn that we still must do daily to include good turns to the communities we live in – and worldwide.

Through these guiding principles, Girl Scouting serves the entire community. And we need to make it possible for everyone in the community to participate. Because everything is a great deal more expensive than it was when I was first a Girl Scout, the money needed to run our camps and programs has increased. In addition, our Council has been chosen to try out several of the new science and technical programs. Through these, our girls are learning about our amazing world of technology and seeing ways to become a useful member of our technological era, while keeping the fun that only interacting with other humans can give.

With our support, Girl Scouts will positively affect the future of the entire community – online, at home, and around the world.

You can learn more about making your tax deductible donation to support Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines on our website www.nccoastalpines.org/donate or by calling our Fund Development Office at 800-284-4475 x3315.