Thanks for reading some of the latest features about area people and events.  

To view every page and read every word of The Kenmare News each week,
subscribe to our ONLINE EDITION!

 

Kenmare Girls Scouts looking to grow

How many people know there is a Girl Scout troop in Kenmare?

2/28/17 (Tue)

Girl Scouts on duty . . . From left; Destinee Anderson, Amaya Baptiste and Samantha Berg sell Girl Scout cookies in the commons area of Kenmare High School during a recent basketball game. Many people don’t know Kenmare has a Girl Scout troop, but the girls of Troop 10053 want people to know they are here and growing.

By Marvin Baker

How many people know there is a Girl Scout troop in Kenmare?

How many people are aware that girls from kindergarten up through senior in high school can be a part of the Girl Scouts?

Most people don’t know on either question so the Girl Scouts plan to do something about it.

Troop 10053 has been in existence in Kenmare for about three years, but a recent change in scout leaders is expected to bring about more interaction with the community.

Tricia Berg is the third scout leader in the past three years. She took over the troop in December and the girls have since been visible marketing the famous Girls Scout cookies. In fact, the cookie drive continues through March 5 so the girls may be dropping by with some cookies, according to Berg.

Troop 10053 had a booth set up  at the Kenmare/Stanley boys basketball game Feb. 14 and will have one at the Memorial Hall tomorrow (Feb. 23) at 4 p.m., during a junior high game.

Berg said this is the 100th anniversary of Girl Scout cookies, which in and of itself is a significant achievement.

Berg’s daughter Samantha, who is 10 years old, has already sold 346 boxes of cookies at $4 each. In addition to developing good marketing skills at a young age, Tricia Berg said the sales help the girls learn about making contact with people, customer service, money management, and they have to secure the money until it can be deposited in a bank.

The girls also get incentives such as badges and other prizes for being top sellers.

The money collected stays in North Dakota and the two service areas of the Minot region, according to Berg. All net revenue stays within the local council and troop.

She said the money is often used for scholarships to get more girls involved in scouting who may not otherwise have the financial means to do so. It can also be used to purchase uniforms and other incentives.

But selling cookies is just one facet of the Girl Scouts which began as a young girls organization in 1912.

Girls of any age may join and are placed into categories based on their school grade.

As an example, the Daisies are kindergarten and grade 1, Brownies are grades 2 and 3, Juniors are grades 4 and 5, Cadettes are grades 6-8, Seniors are grades 9 and 10 and ambassadors are grades 11 and 12.

“They all have different levels of skills,” Berg said. “We might even take the Juniors shopping, give them some money and say, ‘how do you feed a family of four?’”

Some of the things that Girl Scouts learn and do, according to Berg, are goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

According to Dakota Horizons Girl Scouts, 78 percent of girls joining the scouts have a willingness to face their fears and take on new experiences and 96 percent have tried something new as a Girl Scout.

“They gain a lot of confidence and learn a lot of skills,” Berg said. “At 10 years old Samantha (Berg’s daughter) was a wallflower, but now she’s comfortable talking to adults and that’s a remarkable skill for a young girl.”

Berg said she has heard misconceptions about the Girl Scouts, mainly that all they do is attend camps.

Yes, camps are one part of scouting, but as an example Samantha, who is a Brownie, toured the Kenmare fire station and learned the basics of first aid.

One day the girls were at Fort Stevenson, near Garrison, learning how to tap trees to extract maple. They will meet with the elderly and assist with Wheels & Meals, they will go on field trips to learn different aspects of nature and they are taught how to take care of the earth by recycling.

Samantha provided testimony that scouting is well worth the effort.

“We have a lot of fun,” she said. “We get to meet new people and go on scavenger hunts and learn about other things like maple syrup.”

A lot of things have been happening since December, but Berg wants to take it up a notch.

“We’ll be around the community doing projects,” she said. “Expect to see us more.”

However, there is one thing she would like to see, and that’s more kids in scouting.

Right now the troop has Samantha, as well as Destinee Anderson and Amaya Baptiste.

“If we get half a dozen girls, that would be nice, but I will never turn a girl away,” Berg said. “The main goal is to have extra kids and we want them to feel empowered.”

Meetings were being held on Friday, but as it turns out, that’s a big night for sporting events so the day got switched to Wednesday, right after school.

Berg is hoping that too, will help get more girls in the troop.

“So we meet every other Wednesday,” she said. “We go to M&K’s Pizza Hub and they are kind enough to allow us the space. We are honored to be supported by the community.”

The next meeting will take place at M&K’s at 3:30 p.m., on March 8.

Berg said every scout treats each other as a sister, regardless of their age in the troop and learning kindness and responsibility are two traits that can go a long way in that regard.

“Girl Scouts is engaging for everybody, regardless of their age,” Berg said. “We’re planning a financial day where we’ll tour a bank and set them up for success.

If anyone is interested in getting into the Dakota Horizons Girl Scouts, Berg is available to provide more details about girls joining. She can be reached at telephone  number 701-833-5524, or email, (triciaberg@gmail.com).

Additionally, Dakota Horizons headquarters is located in Sioux Falls, S.D., at 605-336-2978.

According to Berg, more and more people are getting excited about scouting becoming active in Kenmare. She said some people who don’t have kids at home any longer, are willing to help get the troop to prosper.

In that case, Troop 10053 needs girls to fill the ranks so they may better themselves in some way.

“We want the girls to find their spark,” she said. “We don’t just want them to be in the world, we want them to run it.” ... Read EVERY WORD on EVERY PAGE of The Kenmare News by subscribing--online or in print!