Yesterday a Girl Scout, her mother, father, and brother approached my door. They asked if I wanted to buy cookies. I asked if I could make a donation instead. They told me I could donate and cookies would be bought for the troops overseas (having been deployed to Iraq, I contemplated this momentarily).
I told the mother, I didn't support the views and agenda of the upper management of the Girl Scouts. I didn't want the girls to suffer, I know they used the money for their activities...I wanted the money to go directly to them and could I donate to the troop without the money going higher.
I didn't go into the details as to why I didn't support the higher echelons (I didn't think it was appropriate in front of small children). The mother looked at me like I was from outer space; she obviously had no idea what I could be possibly talking about. I think she also found it odd I didn't want anything in return for my donation.
However, she stated that, yes, I could donate directly to the girls. I donated $15 for which they said thank you and left.
There is another lesson that can be learned here by the girls....not compromising your values, not punishing the innocent, and the kindness of strangers.
Perhaps the mother will investigate further as to what I could be talking about and move her daughter to an alternative organization; perhaps not.
We always had "cookie booths" - outside of local businesses. The girls that participated in manning the booth got to split the total boxes of the day's sales. So it wasn't just mom and dad selling at work.
I don't agree with Girl Scouts being involved with PP. I have no idea how it can be changed. But, I do see how the local kids and their leaders work at making scouting a good experience and don't want them to get hurt in order to strike back at the upper levels.