Sen. Ayotte joins discussion on Girl Scouts

Friday, September 16, 2011

Patricia Mellor, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, left, U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, and Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains’s Past President Anne Edwards. All three women are attorneys; Edwards is Chief of Staff at the NH Department of Justice. They joined forces as part of a national initiative known as Girl Scout District Congressional Advocacy Days. Submitted photo

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BEDFORD – Patricia Mellor, CEO, and past president Anne Edwards of Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, joined U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte and U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta to discuss issues of concern to girls and Girl Scouting as part of a national initiative known as Girl Scout District Congressional Advocacy Days.

“Girl Scouting’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place,” Mellor said. “Teaching girls how our democracy works and how to effect positive change empowers them to advocate for themselves and others, creating thoughtful leaders. These lessons carry them throughout their lives, no matter what they choose to do or be.”

Girl Scout District Congressional Advocacy Days are held during the congressional recess from Aug. 8-Sept. 6.

Girl Scout council chief executive officers and board chairs from across the country meet with their congressional representatives to focus attention on issues that affect girls and Girl Scouting.

Ayotte, a former Girl Scout, thinks Girl Scouting is important for girls because it teaches them teamwork and to work hard, self-reliance, and civic responsibility and community service.

In addition to updating Ayotte and Guinta on events in Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, the group advocated for the Healthy Media for Youth Act, recently introduced legislation that would support research, media literacy initiatives and an FCC task force to examine how women and girls are portrayed in the media.

The group also urged them to join the Girl Scouts of the USA in events surrounding the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting next year.

In recent years, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains focused its advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C., and on the local level on a range of issues affecting girls’ healthy growth and development, including raising awareness about bullying, eating disorders, and advocating for healthier media images of girls and women.

Through Girls Rock the Capitol, a Girl Scout legislative internship, high-school age girls work side-by-side with women legislators to learn about the democratic process from inside the State House.

Last year, Girl Scouts helped advocate for the passage of HB 1523, which updated state laws requiring schools to have policies against bullying, and added cyberbullying.

Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains serves 15,000 girls across New Hampshire and Vermont, thanks to 5,100 trained and dedicated volunteers. To join or volunteer, call 888-474-9686 or see www.girlscoutsgwm.org.