Every October, we celebrate a vital group of people who make everything we do at Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines possible: our donors. These champions of girl ambition generously give back to ensure all Girl Scouts can grow, explore, and lead.

This year, we are celebrating donors who empower Girl Scouts to explore, find adventure, and have fun! Girl Scouts know that fun is all about being their true selves, trying new things, and cheering each other on! By supporting Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines, our donors help Girl Scouts have unique experiences that they remember forever! What kinds of experiences, you ask? Here are just a few examples.

Girl Scout Trailblazer Troop

The Trailblazer Troop loves taking trips to state parks, like backpacking at Morrow Mountain State Park.

Girl Scout Trailblazer Troop #7110 welcomes girls in grades 6-12 from all over the council interested in outdoor adventure. From biking to camping, white water rafting to skiing, caving to canoeing, these intrepid explorers tackle it all and have tons of fun doing it! Most girls maintain membership in their primary troop and add in the extra fun of being a Trailblazer. Besides having fun and challenging themselves to try new things, the trips allow for skill-building in all aspects of the outdoors. Co-Leader Cindy Sortisio says, “With girls coming from so many different schools and counties, we provide a way to meet new people and build new friendships – our trips are cell phone-free zones (except for chaperones for emergencies), so we can connect with each other and the natural world. We are always inspired by the Girl Scout mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.”

Summer Leadership Camp Volunteers

Local volunteers spent two days mentoring girls at Summer Leadership Camp in August. Day one took place at Camp Mary Atkinson, and day two at Meredith College (above).

Deborah Dolan and Thomesha Johnson took a couple of days off from their jobs at WellCare of NC to volunteer at this year’s Summer Leadership Camp, and they had a blast. Deborah is a former Girl Scout and works closely with multiple organizations in her role as a Community Advocate. She noted, “Summer Leadership Camp allowed me to engage with these young ladies and learn how they wanted to make a difference in their communities. It was truly eye-opening and such an enjoyable afternoon spending time helping the girls expand and determine the next steps for their projects. This generation of girls makes me feel encouraged that our future looks very bright and that so many leaders are being made.”

Thomesha, also a former Girl Scout, is a Community Relations Representative for WellCare and identifies and finds solutions for needs in the community. She observed, “This was the perfect opportunity to serve through mentorship. The girls were so bright and passionate about their ideas. I enjoyed observing our future leaders brainstorm and problem solve solutions to better serve their own community. This opportunity was ultimately a rewarding full circle experience.”

Girl Scout Troop #4438

Girl Scout Troop #4438 is having a fun day at Wake 14 Camporee at Camp Mary Atkinson.

Girl Scout Troop #4438 is a faith-based, Muslim, multi-level troop with girls in all levels, many of whom are sisters. The troop has 60 girls and meets at their local Mosque, Muslim Youth Community Center (MYCC) in North Raleigh. They have been active for six years, adding 20 new members this year! These Girl Scouts love volunteering and giving back to the community. “Through Girl Scouts, our girls have been able to learn new skills like how to make a campfire or get outdoors climbing and canoeing. They have been able to explore around North Carolina from Sea Turtle hospitals in Surf City to parks and camps like Camp Mary Atkinson. Most of all, they have learned the power of community, sisterhood and working together.” – Co-Leader Sarah Quadri

We can’t thank our donors enough for providing these fun experiences and countless other adventures for our Girl Scouts! Whether they give $1 or $1000, donors make a difference for tens of thousands of girls and volunteers across central and eastern North Carolina daily.

Visit https://www.nccoastalpines.org/en/donate/Invest-in-Girls.html to learn how you can build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place—and have lots of fun doing it!

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