Take the Lead Berks County

honoring

Desha Dickson

Virginia Dodge, CMM

Virginia T. Rush

Adelle L. Schade, MS, M.Ed.

Let’s take on tomorrow

Dear Friends of Girl Scouting,

There are so many things to celebrate this year, as we come together to mark the 28th anniversary of Take the Lead. Among them is the fact that, after the “down” years of COVID, Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) membership was up 12% last year, and we are on pace to grow between 12% and 15% this coming year!

Girl Scouts provides a supportive and inclusive environment for girls to develop their leadership skills, build self-confidence, and explore their interests and passions...something that is more important now than ever before. Through an ever-wider variety of experiences and activities, GSEP girls are learning important life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. And they are developing a genuine sense of connection and community.

Speaking of which, the four amazing women being honored this year are shining examples of courage, confidence, and character in their own right. Each honoree is committed to bettering the Berks County community in diverse ways. It is a true privilege to acknowledge and celebrate them.

We hope this evening’s event will give you an inside glimpse of the ways in which girls spring to life with excitement and optimism when they immerse themselves in Girl Scout activities, projects, and events. As our theme suggests, at the end of the day, Girl Scouts is all about leadership and empowerment: girls knowing right from wrong, trusting their internal compasses, and using their instincts and energies to advocate for themselves and others and better their worlds. We empower girls to do exactly that—and it is arguably the most important thing we can do for this country’s future.

Please accept our thanks for your generosity tonight. You are helping us cultivate a generation of young women who, when confronted with life’s challenges and injustices of any kind, big or small, will know how to step in, not step aside. Girl Scouts take action which builds their self-esteem and contributes to defining their purpose, and simultaneously makes the world a better place.

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Kim E. Fraites-Dow Chief Executive Officer Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

Deborah Hassan Retired Partner Deloitte & Touche, LLP Chair, Board of Directors Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

Dear Friends,

The only thing that could give us more pleasure than serving as co-chairs of this year’s Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) Take the Lead event is the opportunity to salute the four remarkable women who are tonight’s honorees.

We cannot think of better examples of commitment to values and service to the community than Desha Dickson, Virginia Dodge, Virginia Rush, and Adelle Schade. Four exceptional high school aged Girl Scouts had the opportunity to get to know and learn from these women. They saw how the honorees utilize their talents, inspiration, and achievement to mentor others and have a sustainable positive impact on the community.

The term “role model” is perhaps overused. But one cannot overstate the importance of providing girls with real-life examples of what is possible when you successfully navigate life’s challenges to create lives of accomplishment and giving back to others.

You know, outdoor adventures and camping trips—timeless elements of Girl Scouts—are fantastic, fun, and crucial. When you support GSEP, you are also underwriting a full range of educational and developmental programs, including leadership training, community service opportunities, and hands-on skill building in areas such as science and technology, the arts, and entrepreneurship.

Thank you for spending time with us this evening, and for your generosity to young women for whom Girl Scouts is a place of friendship, learning, bright futures, and shining possibilities.

We offer enormous, heartfelt thanks to all our supporters past, present, and future who are making possible our mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

Sincerely,

Susan Fromm Community Advocate Co-Chair, 2023 Take the Lead

Co-Chair, 2023 Take the Lead

CO-CHAIRS

Susan Fromm Community Advocate

VICE CHAIRS

Deborah Hassan Deloitte & Touche, LLP, Retired Partner; Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, Chair, Board of Directors

Kim E. Fraites-Dow Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, Chief Executive Officer, ex-officio

Margaret Atwell, MD Retired, Tower Health Reading Hospital

Carey Babczak Truist

Heather Boyer Reading Recreation Commission

Andrea Dragonette Forbright Bank

Michael A. Duff Penske Transportation Solutions

Pat Giles

The Wyomissing Foundation

Crystal Gilmore-Harris Reading School District

Mary Lou Kline Security First, Inc.

Andi Funk Enersys

Mary Ann Moffitt First National Bank

Colleen Mordan Boscov’s

Alison Snyder

East Penn Manufacturing

Joanna Sockel Customers Bank

Laurie Waxler Jewish Federation of Reading

Ruthann Woll RKL LLP

2023 Awards Selection Committee

CHAIR

Carolyn M. Bazik Co-County Wellness Services

VICE CHAIRS

Carey Babczak

Truist

Michelle Dech

LGBT Center for Greater Reading

Susan Denaro

Georgeadis Setley

Vicki Ebner

East Penn Manufacturing

Kristin Boyd Edwards CEL Marketing PR Communications

Jacquelyn Fetrow Albright College

Susan Fromm Community Advocate

Pat Giles

The Wyomissing Foundation

Mary Kargbo

Berks Community Health Center

Susan Looney Reading Area Community College

Sharon Mast Sparks Solutions & Support, Training and Facilitation

Debra L. Powell, MD Tower Health—Reading Hospital

Vinti Shah, DO Tower Health

Board Member

Past Honoree

2023 Take the Lead Event Program

Girl Scout Welcome

Girl Scout Flag Ceremony, Pledge of Allegiance, and Girl Scout Promise and Law

Girl Scout Color Guard

CEO Thank You

Kim E. Fraites-Dow | Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

Event Committee Co-Chair Remarks

Susan Fromm | Community Advocate

Andi Funk | Enersys

Award Presentations

“Boom Chicka Boom”

Girl Scout Chorus

Campership Presentation & Paddle Raise

Michael A. Duff | Penske Transportation Solutions

Award Presentations

Closing Remarks

Olubunmi K. Ojikutu, MD | Tower Health

Gold Award Girl Scout & Girl Scout Alum

Girl Scout Closing Song

“Make New Friends”

Girl Scout Chorus