BURBANK -- Wearing vests embellished with colorful pins and badges,the 11-year-old members of Girl Scout Troop 4066 cheerfullygathered in a circle, held hands and sang about friendship. "Here is a hand, and here is another. Put them together and we haveeach other." The moment symbolized the ethos of service and friendship practicedby the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., which marks its 100th anniversarynext year. Local troops are flocking to the Los Angeles Convention Center onSaturday, Oct. 29, 2011 for the annual conference that will markthe start of centennial festivities. Girltopia: The World of Girl is touted as the largest girl-targetedexpo in the country, featuring talks, exhibits, workshops and funactivities intended to "empower and encourage girls to find theirvoice, speak their mind, and be inspired." About 12,000 Girl Scoutsand parents are expected to attend. Troop 4066's Maggie Mohler said she loves being a Girl Scout andtakes to heart its mission to make the world a better place. She recited the Girl Scout Law and professed to abide by it: "Iwill do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful,considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible forwhat I say." The Burbank troop spent weeks volunteering at a nearby retirementhome, creating an indoor garden for the wheelchair-bound residents. On Christmas, they will "adopt" an elderly woman who has no familyand give her handmade cards and presents. Women who have gone through the scouts credit the organization withhelping them develop good habits and outlooks for the rest of theirlives. Nanette Spradley Weinberg, 47, a costume designer in Northridge,comes from a long line of Girl Scouts. Her grandmother, mother and daughters have all been active in theorganization. Weinberg currently volunteers as a troop leader. "I try to live a life of service, and that includes carrying agarbage bag when walking my dog, so that if I see litter, I pick itup, instead of just walking past it," she said. "That's how we think," she added. "We are always asking, `What canwe do to make the world a better place?"' As a child, Weinberg, along with the rest of her Girl Scout troop,wrote letters to American P.O.W.'s during the Vietnam War. She now leads a troop that performs a host of good deeds, includingsewing stockings for foster children at Christmas, and seekingdonations of defibrillators for children with heart disease. "There's more to Girl Scouting than just selling cookies," Weinbergsaid. The Scouts' mission is to build girls of courage, confidence andcharacter, like founder Juliette Gordon Low. A member of a prominent and wealthy Southern family whose fatherwas a captain in the Confederate Army, Low felt inspired aftermeeting with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts andGirl Guides. At the time, she was a 51-year-old widow who had spent yearssearching for something useful to do with her life. Low founded the Girl Scouts in Savannah, Georgia, on March 12,1912, introducing girls of all backgrounds to the outdoors andteaching self-reliance and resourcefulness. She also encouraged them to prepare not only for traditionalhomemaking but also to possibly have professional careers, and beactive citizens. The original troop had only 18 members. Today, there are about 10million Girl Scouts around the world, including 3.2 million in theUnited States. The Greater Los Angeles area has about 40,000 Girl Scouts -including 5,500 in the San Fernando Valley - and 23,000 volunteers. Mildred Wallerstein, 94, has been active in the organization sinceage 9. A retired secretary living in Signal Hill, Long Beach, she valueslifelong friendships with other Girl Scouts, and recalls skillslearned during camping trips together. During World War II, Wallerstein sent packages overseas to herbrothers in the military. "My packages never became undone," she said proudly, "because Iknew how to make knots." Carol Dedrich, director of external affairs for the Girls Scouts ofGreater Los Angeles, said the organization has remained relevantfor a century because it never forgot its values even as it adaptedto the changing times. "There is a promise that we all make as Girl Scouts, and we live byit: On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country, to helppeople at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law," Dedrichsaid. Traditionally, Girl Scouts are composed of troops with as few asfive to as many as 50 girls who meet once a week. Dedrich said the organization has become more flexible, puttingtogether girls with shared interests and offering them programssuch as guitar lessons, training for robotics competitions andactivities to help save the environment. At the Girl Scout troop meeting in Burbank, volunteers Liane Dietzand Michelle Jones were leading a discussion on the very moderntopic of bullying. At one point, they asked the girls to think of words to go with thephrase "circle of belonging." "Friends who accept you," said one. "Caring," said another. Eleven-year-old Piper Hunt's response was "Girl Scouts," promptingapplause from her friends. If you go Girltopia: The World of Girl, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, 9 a.m. - 5p.m. Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall 1201 S. Figueroa St. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as China Skin Rejuvenation Machine , Body Contouring Machine Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit IPL Laser Machines today!
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