Bill Text: VA HJR728 | 2013 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-01-24 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ728ER) [HJR728 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2013-HJR728-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, Girl Scouts of the United States of America began in 1912 when Savannah, Georgia, native Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low gathered 18 girls to provide them the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually; and WHEREAS, on October 31, 1913, less than a year after the founding of Girl Scouts of the United States of America, two progressive women, Mrs. Frank Read (Kate Gebhardt) and Mrs. Percy Read (Marion T.) of Highland Springs, supported by the Women's Study Club for Right Living of Highland Springs, organized the first Girl Scout troop in Virginia, which ultimately divided into two troops, with one leader as captain of Pansy Troop No. 1 and one leader as captain of Pansy Troop No. 2, respectively; and WHEREAS, the concept of Girl Scouting captured the enthusiasm, imagination, respect, and support of leading Richmonders, who formed the council's founding body that included Mrs. J. J. Barreto, temporary chairman; Mrs. Thomas P. Bryan, nominating committee chairman; Mrs. Norton Mason, finance chairman; and Mesdames Henry Baskervill, Douglas Freeman, Charles Weaver, W. M. Trigg, Jr., Thomas L. Moore, Robert Cabell, Frank Read, Norton Mason, and Godwin Boykin; the Misses Alice Welsh, Hazel Shackelford, Harriett Talcott, and Ruth White; and Mr. William B. Thalhimer and Mr. Charles Weaver; and WHEREAS, the founding vision of the Richmond Girl Scout Council was to assist volunteer leaders in bringing to the Girl Scouts ever-widening possibilities in group education and recreation and acquainting more and more girls with its pleasures; to present its advantages to the community in such ways as to make it conscious of the possibilities of Girl Scouting in producing wholesome and right-thinking, capable, and happy citizens for future civic responsibility; and to develop and procure for the Girl Scouts a focal point for their outdoor program and pleasures—that absolute necessity for well-rounded Scouting—a well-equipped camp; and WHEREAS, the founding body, whose sons and daughters were participating in Scouting, applied for a national charter and organized the Richmond Girl Scout Council, which held its first meeting at The Jefferson Hotel in April 1921, with 35 adult members, 11 troops, and 75 girls; and WHEREAS, in 1932 the first troop of African American girls in the South was established in the Richmond Girl Scout Council, Girl Scout Troop 101; it was organized by Lavinia Banks and Lena B. Watson at Hartshorn Hall, Virginia Union University and sponsored by the troop's committee that included Emma B. Watson, Maggie Walker, Mrs. A. V. Binga, Dr. Janie Jones, Mrs. Alice Bouser, and Mrs. Mamie Allen; and WHEREAS, Fredericksburg (circa 1918); Chester Girl Scouts (circa 1924); Hanover Girl Scouts, including Montpelier and Ashland (circa 1924); Farmville (circa 1936); Petersburg Girl Scout Council (est. 1942); Hopewell Girl Scout Council (est. 1944); and Southside Council, including Emporia, Petersburg, and Hopewell (1953) all merged with a number of lone troops to form Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1962; and WHEREAS, the founding body's camping vision inspired the establishment of Camp Pocahontas, which was acquired in 1928; Camp Pinoaka, created in 1936 for African American Girl Scouts; and Camp Holly Dell in 1951, all of which were ultimately sold; Pamunkey Ridge Girl Scout Camp, consisting of 240 acres in Hanover along the banks of the Pamunkey River, which opened in 1996, and Camp Kittamaqund, consisting of 387 acres and 8.0 kilometers of shoreline on the Northern Neck, named after the Native American chief in power at the time of English arrival, which opened in 1964, currently operate; and WHEREAS, in 2013 the award-winning Girl Scout Leadership Program helps girls discover themselves and their values, connect with others, and take action to make the world a better place; and WHEREAS, the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting, requires girls to make a measurable and sustainable difference in their community, assess a need and design a solution, find the resources and support to make it happen, complete the project, and inspire others to sustain it; and WHEREAS, through the dedication, time, and talent of volunteers of different backgrounds, abilities, and areas of expertise, the Girl Scout Program is brought to nearly 74,000 girls in grades K through 12 across the Commonwealth of Virginia; and WHEREAS, core programs around science, technology, engineering, math, environmental stewardship, healthy living, financial literacy, and global citizenship help girls develop a solid foundation in leadership; and WHEREAS, today, more than 50 million American women are Girl Scout alumnae and 3.3 million girls and adult volunteers are active members; Girl Scouts is the largest member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, a global movement consisting of more than 10 million girls in 145 countries worldwide; and WHEREAS, for 100 years, Girl Scouting has helped build millions of girls and women of courage, confidence, and character who act to make the world a better place; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia for its 100 years of leadership and expertise as the voice for and of girls; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Viola O. Baskerville, interim chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and admiration for the organization's commitment to the girls of the Commonwealth. |
