BEDFORD – They lead Girl Scout troops. They coordinate cookie deliveries. They teach girls essential life skills and mentor them as they gain leadership skills. They are the volunteers who make everything possible for Girl Scouts throughout New Hampshire and Vermont, and Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains is marking their enormous contributions during April, Volunteer Appreciation Month.

The past year has been one of uncertainty and disruption to everyone’s normal routines. That includes Girl Scout activities. Fortunately, many of our volunteers have stepped up and kept their Girl Scouts active in virtual troops, with outdoor activities, on Zoom, and other ways.

For example:

· Deb Kaitz of Concord, leader of Troop 20507 in Concord, has helped her girls travel prior to the pandemic, do outdoor activities, and be cookie business pros.

· Denyse Totten of Concord, also a leader of Troop 20507 in Concord, gets her Girl Scouts excited about everything with her positive personality. Her counseling background make her girl-led skills strong.

· Dr. Patricia Edwards of Bow, also a leader of Troop 20507, has a contagious excitement that her Girl Scouts thrive on. She often ties her medical knowledge as a pediatrician to everyday situations, and oversees the badge work and awards for her Girl Scouts.

· Melissa Starkey of Loudon, also a leader of Troop 20507, is an easygoing leader who has shown her Girl Scouts that being different is OK, and it works to laugh at yourself. She uses her contacts as a successful business owner to enhance her troop activities.

· Kate Eads Galdieri of Concord, of Troop 20368 in Concord, has a wonderful way with the girls in her troop, and pushes girls to think and decide for themselves. She is a great role model!

· Sarah Kelley of Concord, NH, is an enthusiastic leader of Troop 20368 with a great rapport with her girls. She loves to share her outdoors knowledge with them, and is eager to do things with them.

· Tiffany Bonneau of Dover, made sure the Girl Scouts of Troop 13946 took the lead on becoming cookie entrepreneurs who earned enough money to travel, go to summer camp, and do community service.

· Brand new troop leaders like Rebecca Whittle and Jessica Pinault of Manchester made it possible for girls to have their first Girl Scout troop experience this past year, starting new Daisy Troop 61103.

· Danielle Mojonnier of Greenland showed Girl Scouts in Troop 51301 how to use cookie proceeds to make their school a better place by using that money to build a game pit for gaga ball.

· Karen Werner of Amherst has given a lifetime of service to a multitude of Girl Scouts over the years, organizing troops, assisting leaders, and promoting the Girl Scout Gold Award.

· Kristi Flanders of Strafford, who leaped into Girl Scouting by starting a Daisy troop, taking outdoor skills training, hosting cookie booths, and participating in World Thinking Day events.

These are but a very few of the nearly 2,000 people who give of their time, talent, and passion to make Girl Scouting possible across New Hampshire and Vermont. We them, hauling supplies to a meeting in the rain, tracking down cookie forms, and finding ways to strengthen friendships even when your troop can’t be together in person. We see them taking the time to build up the girl who isn’t so sure of her abilities. We see them giving girls space to test their ideas and express their feelings about our increasingly complicated world. We see the result – the goals, the confidence, the “we’ve got this” troop energy that only they could inspire. Because of our volunteers, we have Girl Scouts.