Girl Scout Cookie Crumbles
In a recent Oregonian article, Abby Haight heaped praise on Girl Scout Troop 1573 for their involvement with the Providence Center for Medically Fragile Children's young women. It sounds like the praise was well-earned: members of the Troop included residents in activities, helped build wheelchair-accessible furniture, and recorded audio books for Troop members at the Center.
Over 14 years, this Troop stayed involved with the Center and its residents. For some reason, never really explained, the Troop is leaving the Center.
But the article itself left me cold the morning I read it. I read it several times (and again tonight), wondering: who are the Girl Scouts, the young women, the people at Providence Center? What do they do? What do they like? How do they plan to keep the Center's Troop running? Do they like being in Girl Scouts? Are they fans of Do-See-Dos or Thin Mints?
The problem with the article is that it takes the praise and sympathy angle. For example:
"And [Troop 1573's] regular visits to the center are ending.
But the troop is leaving an enduring gift.
Members earned their bronze medal, the top service award for junior Girl Scouts, by turning favorite children's stories into an audio library for the center."
Also:
"Their [the Troop 1573's members] voices grew familiar to the center's girls. The girls don't communicate with words, but their smiles and body language spoke volumes about the bonds that were forged."
Gag. All I learned about the Center's young women was that one Center Scout will continue to hear her friends voices through the audio books. I was also given the tantalizing bit that Scouts at the Center have earned a wide range of badges, worked on their own projects, and sold tons of cookies. That's what I really wanted to hear about.
Might seem picky, but our family gets a whole range of reactions when out-and-about. Mostly, we experience avoidance, occassionally questions, and sometimes engagement (rare, but very cool). I fully plan for Hannah and Gabriel to be involved in a youth group or something equivalent. We'll appreciate the support offered by others, but more likely than not, we'll focus on all the great things our kids can do, both with the proper supports and completely on their own.
-- Dad
