Girl Scouts Add Asthma Awareness Patch

A local project to increase asthma awareness in Long Island, NY has expanded into a national campaign by the Girl Scouts of America to add an asthma awareness patch to the list of patches the girls can sew on their uniform.

Rebecca Wooters, walk team captain for Fighting Asthma Moms, part of the "Blow The Whistle on Asthma Walk" through the American Lung Association, has a son with asthma, Nicolaas.

"Fortunately we have a new asthma specialist and we have spent countless hours educating family members and his school on what to do in the event of an emergency, Nicolaas is doing exceptionally better," said Wooters. "Ever night he asks me to rock him in the big chair in his room."

For over 90 years Girl Scouts have taught skills of self-confidence, leadership, and now career planning. Founder Juliette Gordon Low organized the first troop on March 12, 1912 in Savannah, GA and the group was chartered by Congress on March 16, 1950.

Today there are nearly four million Girl Scouts - 2.8 million girl members and 986,000 adult members working primarily as volunteers according to the scout's website. Girl Scouts ages 5-17 do community service projects, cultural exchanges, skill-building clinics, and environmental stewardships.

Girls at home and out of the country take part in over 236,000 troops and groups in more than 80 countries, according to the Scouts.

Through its membership in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Girl Scouts is part of a worldwide family of ten million girls and adults in 145 countries.

More than 50 million American women enjoyed Girl Scouting during their childhood, including myself, and that number continues to grow as they continue to inspire, grow, and empower girls everywhere.

As a child I have fond memories of my sister, Cindy sewing my Girl Scout badges on my uniform, ironing my clothes, and laying them out along with my shoes and socks the night before every Girl Scout meeting or event.

I was 9. She was 13.