Girl Scouts rally to recover from ruinous year

Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scouts Council of the Southern Appalachians, delivered sobering — but yet hopeful — news.

The local council of the Girl Scouts has experienced its toughest year in the organization’s history due to Hurricane Helene which devastated communities in our area last fall. But if an enthusiastic (and festive) gathering of supporters earlier this week is any indication, the beloved non-profit should be on the mend soon.

 “Hurricane Helene devastated communities in our Council footprint,” Lynne Fugate, CEO of Girl Scouts Council of the Southern Appalachians, told supporters at Wednesday’s luncheon at the Press Room event center.

“Families lost belongings, homes, pets, and loved ones. Entire neighborhoods were swept away. And Girl Scouts was a part of that story. Troops were displaced. Supplies stored in church basements were washed out in the floods.”

In addition, she said that recruitment season — “normally the lifeblood of our fall” — was interrupted as families understandably focused on survival, not troop meetings.

Tamara Boyer, left, and Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon at the luncheon.

“And the ripple effects have been real,” she said. “When our membership wanes, so do proceeds from our cookie program — the very program that funds much of Girl Scouting. With fewer girls selling cookies, the movement itself feels the impact.”

But, Fugate said, Girl Scouts may have been down, but they were not out! “Even in the hardest year, ” she said, “girls showed up!”

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, she said, the Girl Scouts launched its “Appalachian Strong” campaign and raised and distributed more than $7,600 to troops and service units who were impacted by the storm. And Girl Scouts themselves personally responded. “They lived out our motto — ‘Be Prepared’,” Fugate said.

Troops came together to pack hygiene kits, create blessing boxes, and collect essentials for families who had lost everything. “They saw a need and they acted,” Fugate said. “And while they were serving others, they kept moving themselves forward.”

The Council still served more than 6,400 girls. More than 4,000 girls still sold cookies, learned new skills and took on challenges. Over 1,900 girls participated in 374 council-led programs — from academic workshops to rafting trips and service projects that helped neighbors. 

“Yes, this has been a hard year,” Fugate said. “But it is also the most important year to stand firm with Girl Scouts. If you are wondering where the next generation of strong, confident, capable women will come from — I encourage you to look no further than a Girl Scout troop meeting.” (Ways you can help will be at end of this post.)

University of Tennessee-Knoxville Chancellor Donde Plowman, left, herself a former Girl Scout, was honored and spoke at the luncheon. With her are members of her team, Deb Crawford, center, vice chancellor for research, innovation, and economic development at UTK, and Ozlem Kilic, vice provost and founding dean of the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies.

The noise level was considerable during the mingling prior to lunch. What a fun crowd!

Joan Cronan, left, with Amy Cathey.

Monica Langley, left, and state Sen. Becky Massey.

Downtowners, from left, Sandi Swilley, Robin Thomas, Kendall Keller, Gay Lyons, and Kim Hays.

Wanda Sobieski, left, and retired Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee.

From left, Bridget Greer, Samantha Edwards Lacy, and Knox County Commissioner Courtney Durrett.

Kathy Hamilton, standing, with former Knoxville First Lady Joan Ashe.

Bill Lyons and Avice Reid.

Janet Testerman and Bill Taylor.

Harriet Hodge, left, and Rose Moseley.

Frances Hall, seated, and Cecilia Petersen.

Beth Hamil, left, and Chris Kahn.

David and Sandy Martin.

From left, Becky Hancock, Lynne Fugate, Nikki Elliott, Jennifer Holder, Kim Henry, and Robyn McAdoo.

Beth Avery Foster, left, and Amber Williams.

The tables were decked out in Girl Scout green!

And look what was on each place setting! A sample of the newest Girl Scout cookie called “Exploremores.” Delish! (I felt it was my duty to taste it!)

Lina Shatara, left, and Caroline Cowan.

Don and Carol Parnell.

Lunch was a simple tossed salad with grilled chicken. A perfect selection for a big crowd.

Chancellor Donde Plowman gave an exciting overview of UT’s growth and aspirations. What caught my attention: They currently are in the process of “picking off” the top faculty members from other schools that are struggling.

Bella Mason, a freshman at UT, said that “being a Girl Scout has shaped me and benefited me personally and professionally.” She’s majoring in mechanical engineering.

A rapt and large crowd.

Interesting display sign!

Loved seeing the past Girl Scout uniforms. This one, for Junior Scouts, was from 1973 to 1984. It was a “mix and match” ensemble and the first time a Girl Scout uniform had pants as an option!

If you’d like to support the local Girl Scouts, you can send a check to Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians, 1567 Downtown West Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37919. Or click the “Support” tab on their website.