Black History Month

Honoring African American Leadership in Girl Scouts during Black History Month -- February

Girl Scouts, San Diego-Imperial Council is proud to celebrate the diversity and culture of African Americans, across the USA and beyond. During Black History Month, we honor our National Honorary President of Girl Scouts of the USA, First Lady Michelle Obama and African American Girl Scout leaders and volunteers who make a difference in our council and the community all year long.

First Lady Michelle Obama is Honorary National President of Girl Scouts of the USA

"It is my great pleasure to serve as Honorary National President of Girl Scouts," said Mrs. Obama. "With their innovative new programming, ground-breaking research, and emphasis on service and leadership, Girl Scouts is preparing the women of tomorrow to be a positive force for change - in their own lives, their communities, and across the globe." In accepting the position, Mrs. Obama takes her place in a tradition stretching back to 1917, when First Lady Edith B. Wilson became the first Honorary National President of the Girl Scout movement. Since then, each successive First Lady has served in this post.

Read more about our local leaders and outstanding volunteers.

What's Black and White and Loved all Over?

It’s Miranda Panda, our 2010 Cookie Program mascot! You might have met her at our recent Cookie Kickoff at the San Diego Zoo, or seen her groovy cookie program incentives.

Get to know Miranda and her panda pals with these fun facts:

• When pandas are born, they have no hair and are only about the size of a stick of butter. They can grow to weigh more than 300 pounds!
• Pandas spend at least 12 hours a day eating. They eat mostly bamboo and love occasional sweet treats such as apples and honey (except for Miranda, who prefers Girl Scout Cookies).
• Young pandas are curious and playful. They like to do somersaults and play with “toys” like blocks of ice. Watch pandas play with their icy birthday “cakes” at the San Diego Zoo!
• The only wild pandas in the world live in the mountainous bamboo forests of southwestern China.
• Pandas seem pretty quiet, but giant pandas can bleat, roar, growl and honk. They say a friendly “hello” by bleating like a lamb.
• Pandas are endangered animals—there are only about 1,600 left on Earth due to their shrinking habitat and food supply. See how caring kids like you are taking action to help save the pandas.

More panda-monium!

See what Su Lin, Zhen Zhen, Bai Yun, Yun Zi and Gao Gao are up to at the San Diego Zoo. Check out their Panda Cam and blog.

Make Panda Pita Pockets.

Want to learn more? Visit the San Diego Zoo or National Geographic Kids panda pages.

And just for fun…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzRH3iTQPrk

Cookies NOW! is a Hit!

We got this message from one of the over 15,000 girls who are selling Girl Scout Cookies in neighborhoods throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Her letter (included below as she emailed it to us) represents the many positive comments we've received from enthusiastic girls and their parents about our new Cookies NOW! program, where girls have boxes of cookies to sell from the start of the cookie program. "Instant cookie gratification."

"Hi. This is awesome!

Thank you, thank you thank you. i went to my dad's work and everyone loved my cookie mobile. i taped samples of each box to my mobile boards and i had vons bags so they could load up on buying cookies. i ran out of cookies and i need to get more. i printed out recipe cards and put them on my board and i printed out thank you cards for each customer.

I really think this way of selling is way better and a lot more fun. I hope Girl Scouts does it this way again next year!!!

thank you
Hope "

We love the way she thought of including shopping bags so her customers can easily buy a LOT of cookies. Can you see why the Girl Scout Cookie program is the nation's premiere entrepreneurship program for girls?

When you see a Girl Scout selling cookies, ask her what she's learned by participating in the cookie program. Chances are, you'll be impressed! We'd love to hear from you.

Thank you for supporting the Girl Scout Cookie program.

Operation Thin Mint: Girl Scout Cookies Make a Global Impact

Operation Thin Mint (R) (OTM) sends a taste of home and a note to show we care to service men and women throughout the world.

By selling Operation Thin Mint (R) cookies, San Diego and Imperial Valley area Girl Scouts make sure their local cookie program has a global impact. Since 2002, area girls and their customers have sent nearly 1.5 million boxes of OTM cookies and countless handwritten notes to grateful military troops stationed all over the world.

The process is simple.

Girl Scouts ask their customers to buy Operation Thin Mint(R) cookies. They provide their customers with a receipt, and those cookies are earmarked for a trip overseas.

"Troops halfway around the world look forward to receiving a favorite taste of home from San Diego, said CEO Jo Dee C. Jacob, and a retired Navy captain. "I don't want to disappoint a single sailor, Marine, airman or soldier."

Look for the opportunity to buy your Operation Thin Mint(R) cookies when local Girl Scouts start selling cookies in your neighborhood Sunday, January 31, 2010. Starting Friday, February 19, you'll find Girl Scout troops at booths near malls, shopping centers and other areas in your community. More information: visit http://www.sdgirlscouts.org/.