Girl Scouts Louisiana East

Dr. Rebecca Pennington, CFRE

When you think of the Girl Scouts, you probably remember the delicious cookies they sell annually. But the organization has experienced many changes since its founding in 1912. Its mission is “to build girls of courage, confidence, and character; who make the world a better place,” and its four pillars are Outdoors, Entrepreneurship, Life Skills and STEM.

Dr. Rebecca Pennington, the CEO of Girl Scouts Louisiana East (GSLE), shared some new developments for the approximately 7,600 Girl Scout members in the 23 parishes of Southeast Louisiana. COVID took its toll on membership numbers. Pennington said that since the pandemic tapered off, they’ve had modest growth of 5% year-over-year for the last three years. However, GSLE has a robust member recruitment plan for next fall when the school year begins that should accelerate growth.

For the local council, “rightsizing” ensures that the property footprint matches the number of girl members available to serve. This included selling Camp Whispering Pines north of Hammond and upgrading the Council’s two remaining outdoor properties — Camp Marydale in St. Francisville and the Northshore’s Camp Covington.

At camp, Girl Scouts learn to work together outside of urban environments and can participate in the Spur/Wrangler Equestrian Program that’s unavailable to many councils that don’t have ample acreage or own their own horses. Spur/Wrangler Girl Scouts learn to groom and manage horses, and many of the older girls are members of the Wrangler Show Team which competes in rodeos and rides in parades.

The Benefits of Girl Scouts to Young Women

Girl Scouting teaches girls life skills they need to prepare to be future leaders and risk-takers, and to be unafraid to face and solve real-world problems. Their cookie campaigns teach entrepreneurship by giving them the experience of running small businesses and learning techniques to boost sales. Other advantages include budget management and developing financial literacy.

Where Dreams Begin

Girl Scouts of the USA chose GSLE to be one of two pilot councils for a new concept called “DreamLab” in Gonzales. The space opened in September 2023 and consists of interactive areas for girls and doesn’t follow a traditional service center model. It also includes a retail center where Girl Scouts can buy uniforms, camp supplies, and other Girl Scouting gear.

You Can Help with Funding

Pennington achieved this major rebranding through grants from GSUSA. But more funds are needed to maximize the Girl Scouts’ potential. She stressed that both corporate and individual donations are welcome, and larger donations open the door to naming opportunities at both camps.

The council has divided its fundraising efforts into two phases, with the first seeking $5 million to improve the Camp Marydale Equestrian Center, its lake and pool while adding a STEM Center and better river access to Camp Covington. Board member Guy Recotta hosted a function last November to kick off the campaign, dubbed “Leave No Girl Inside ... for Generations to Come.” The funds raised are earmarked to ensure that Southeast Louisiana girls have access to the transformative Girl Scout Outdoor Experience.

Want to learn more about how you can get involved and donate? Contact Rebecca at rpennington@gsle.org or call (504) 733-8220.