REGION – Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains (GSGWM) is delighted to recognize Merrimack resident Doreen Rolls, as a nominee for its Volunteer of the Month program. In celebration of Volunteer Appreciation Month, Girl Scout volunteers receive recognition for their powerful and inspiring contributions as role models and mentors for the nearly 10,000 girls served by GSGWM throughout New Hampshire and Vermont.

Rolls, who gives her time as communications volunteer, recruiter, camporee committee member, and founder of the Merrimack Girl Scouts website, wasn’t originally planning on becoming a Girl Scouts volunteer. As she enrolled her twin daughters as Girl Scout Daisies, she recognized their shyness, a trait not unlike Rolls herself at that age, and found herself looking for ways to help them engage openly in troop activities.

“It was challenging for me because it’s not my nature to be in a leadership role,” said Rolls. “It’s outside of my comfort zone, and at the same time I was asking my daughters to do the same thing, to speak up and join a group.” It seemed natural to Rolls at the time to set a positive example for her daughters and to volunteer as co-leader of their troop.

Today, Rolls continues to lead her troop of eight Girl Scout Seniors, together as a troop since kindergarten and first grade. According to Rolls, having a plan and finding balance is essential to be a successful leader.

“You can’t do everything, or else nothing will get done,” said Rolls. “For me, I like to identify something we can accomplish at every meeting. I show up organized and with a plan, which makes the girls feel good and feel they’ve accomplished something. Finding that balance is important.”

Volunteerism lies at the heart of the Girl Scout experience. The diverse community of Girl Scout volunteers and their commitment support the GSGWM mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. Girl Scout volunteers are positive and powerful role models for the girls they serve and are themselves positively impacted by the work they do. GSGWM volunteers report life-long impacts as a direct result of their Girl Scout volunteer experiences.

Rolls sets an example and inspires Girl Scouts everyday through her confidence and courage, and by introducing girls to new experiences, unleashing their inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) and developing our future leaders of tomorrow.

A Volunteer Celebration Luncheon is planned for May 20, recognizing all GSGWM volunteers, and includes a silent auction with basket donations made possible by Girl Scouts, family members, volunteers, service units and community supporters. Proceeds from the silent auction benefit the GSGWM Campership Fund to help send girls to camp who would not be able to attend otherwise. To learn more about Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains and about becoming a Girl Scout visit www.girlscoutsgwm.org.