Suffolk News-Herald

Girl Scouts do a lot more than sell those much sought after cookies and Troop 264 recently took part in &uot;Special Olympics,&uot; assisting their Olympic Buddy with his basketball skills.

Dorothy Cogswell, the assistant Girl Scout leader for Troop 264, said the girls participated in the Special Olympics day at Little Creek Amphibious Base in Norfolk. Several hundred people came to watch the events as Special Olympians took part in a variety of events.

&uot;The girls of Troop 264 had a grand time helping with the day’s activities,&uot; said Cogswell. &uot;They also presented their Olympic Buddy, Phil, with an autographed Teddy bear they’d purchased in the Special Olympics fundraiser.&uot;

Cogswell said hundreds of people from all walks of life and from across Hampton Roads came to help with the event.

&uot;Part of the Girl Scout service and goals include helping with activities in our communities,&uot; said Cogswell. &uot;Girl Scouts take part in many such activities in Suffolk and other Hampton Roads communities. They earned a ribbon for the Special Olympics events, but they did it because they truly wanted to help the Olympians.&uot;

Cogswell said Troop 264 is also going to participate in the annual Council Meeting coming up March 22, at the Hotel Chamberlain. They will serve as ushers for that event. They will also man a booth for religious recognition of all faiths.

&uot;Our girls work on badges and ribbons, but Girl Scouts believe deeply in God and have a lot of faith,&uot; said Cogswell. &uot;The Girl Scout Council across the country focuses on the spiritual and we are going to man the religious booth to show girls just what is available to them in the way of ribbons and badges for studying the spiritual side of life. This is for any faith, and we have 29 faiths listed.&uot;

Nearly 16,000 girls are Colonial Coast Girl Scouts. They represent many racial/ethnic, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds.

Girl Scouting is funded by: Five United Ways; Combined Federal Campaign, Combined Virginia Campaign, North Carolina State Employee Combined Campaign; Girl Scout product sales of cookies, calendars and nuts, annual giving, grants and other gifts.

Five local United Ways, CFC, CVC, NCSEC, Girl Scout product sales, annual giving campaign, grants, events and planned gifts.

&uot;As Girl Scouts, girls are challenged and encouraged to reach for and achieve their best,&uot; said Cogswell. &uot;In small groups, girls work in partnership with adult leaders, using the democratic process to plan and carry out their own activities. This girl-adult volunteer

partnership helps girls learn lessons, build values and develop self-confidence that lasts a lifetime.&uot;

Membership is extended to all girls who accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law, and any girl interested in finding out more about Girl Scouts should contact the Colonial Coast Council at 547-4405 or log onto jfg.girl-scouts.org.