September means Back to School - and Back to Troops here at Girl Scouts of Western Ohio! As the school year begins, this is a great time to ensure every girl in every neighborhood across western Ohio and southeastern Indiana gets to participate in Girl Scouts.  

One of the most impactful things girls do in Girl Scouts is give back to our communities.  Whether organizing a drive for a local food pantry, beautifying the school’s playground, or lobbying for change at a city council meeting, Girl Scouts are making a difference in our world. In fact, just last month, seven local Girl Scouts attended the Girl Scouts 56th National Council Session to affect change for all Girl Scouts!

There are so many ways Girl Scouts and volunteers affect change! In this issue, you’ll be inspired by a Junior Girl Scout troop that sprang into action when their Toledo-area community was hit hard by a tornado. You’ll want to go back to camp after you hear about the construction experience girls had in building a new stage at Camp Whip Poor Will – an experience made possible by our selfless volunteer partners. Finally - you’ll hear about our board member, Cassie Barlow, whose lifetime of service has resulted in her winning a prestigious award.  

Thank you for giving back to Girl Scouts! Because of your support, we can continue to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who are inspired to serve - and make the world a better place.

Yours in Girl Scouting, 

Aimée Sproles

Chief Executive Officer

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

P.S. – Don’t forget to check out some fun upcoming events at the end of this newsletter!

Baked Goods - for Good

Earlier this month, Troop 10460 planned a bake sale in their community to collect donations. They planned to make dog beds and blankets and donate dog food and pet supplies to support their local animal shelter.

Two days before their event was scheduled, tragedy struck as a tornado touched down in their community - damaging houses, cars, and trees - and leaving many without power.

Thankfully, Girl Scout Avya's home still had electricity. She and fellow troop member TayAnna worked together to make more treats, including cupcakes, dipped pretzels, and cookies. They set up their sweets and ice-cold drinks at their local church. Their new goal was to share food and kindness with those affected by the tornado. Everyone in the community appreciated Girl Scout Troop 10460's kindness and quick thinking.

💚 Amazing job sharing your big hearts, Girl Scouts!💚

Building a Future

Girl Scouts rocked their hard hats at summer camp this year! With the SheBuilds team at Allied Construction Industries, campers learned about the construction industry – from how to work with power tools and fix running toilets to using their STEM skills to leave a lasting impact at one of our camps.

18 Girl Scouts, over a week, worked together to build a new stage for the historic Camp Whip Poor Will amphitheater. Each day the girls rotated through stations that explored other skilled trades, including safety and carpentry, engineering, plumbing, plaster, electric, welding, and painting. The girls gained Tool literacy, life skills, and career exploration while developing confidence, and friendships.

We want to thank our partners: the SheBuilds committee at Allied Construction Industries, the Spirit of Construction Foundation, Home Depot who supplied materials, and Cincinnati ToolBank for supplying tools. The dedicated service of these volunteers made this week possible.

Read the WCPO piece here!

Cassie Barlow: A Citizen of Honor

Cassie Barlow has lived a life of service. What began with serving as a Girl Scout troop leader has continued as a GSWO board member for the past eight years. After a fulfilling career in the United States Air Force, Cassie not only serves as the President of the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education, but Cassie is an active volunteer with many Dayton-area organizations. Her activities in the community have resulted in her receiving The Presidents Club of Dayton 2023 Citizen Legion of Honor, a prestigious award for her volunteerism and positive impact on the community.

Cassie became involved with Girl Scouts due to her passion for developing young women. She started as a Girl Scout troop leader for her daughter, Emma, while relocating as a United States Air Force Commander. No matter where they were, Cassie found Emma a Girl Scout troop - or started one. She recognized the influence that Girl Scouts would have on her daughter and girls worldwide. 

“I’ve been a Girl Scout for 21 years because I’m a passionate advocate of building the next generation of female leaders for our country,” stated Cassie.

GSWO’s CEO, Aimée Sproles, shared, “Every week, a Dayton community leader that I am meeting for the first time leads our conversation with their tremendous respect for Cassie and how her leadership has transformed our community. She is committed to lifting others up, creating community networks for impact, and ensuring the vibrancy of our community for the next generation.”

Thank you, Cassie, for all you do to support the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio and the Greater Dayton community. Congratulations on being awarded the 2023 Citizen Legion of Honor!

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