of Western Ohio

Girl Scouts in Western Ohio are Growing Stronger!

On January 1, 2008, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio will be born!  Comprised of four pre-existing councils from Toledo, Lima, Dayton, and Cincinnati, this new council will deliver improvements and enhancements in programs and services to girls in the new council’s jurisdiction.  This is part of a national initiative to create Girl Scouts councils that are better equipped to meet the needs of girls in today’s fast-changing world.

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio will provide the structure to deliver the benefits of Girl Scouting throughout our region.  We will serve approximately 60,000 girls and 16,000 adult volunteers in 32 counties in western Ohio and southeastern Indiana, and deliver the best personal and leadership development model that defines activities and outcomes, differentiated by age level, for girls 5–17.  The new council will provide expertise for girls by introducing and sustaining comprehensive dialogues and policies based on the realities in girls’ lives.  We will attract and retain a diverse group of dedicated volunteers who will learn continuously, serve in flexible ways, embrace our Mission, feel appreciated, and achieve specified outcomes with girls.  Council leadership will accommodate donors who have shifted to an outcomes-based approach to funding, and embrace customers’ changing lives that provide more choices than ever before.

The council realignment will strengthen the infrastructure and resources at all levels of the organization, including fundraising, public relations, property, staffing, and volunteer support.  The realignment will develop and increase sharing of resources more effectively.  All four council service centers will remain open, and will serve as bases for the four geographic regions.  The new regional identifiers will be: Maumee Valley region, Appleseed Ridge region, Buckeye Trails region, and Great Rivers region.

Leadership for the Western Ohio Council will be provided by Barbara Bonifas of Cincinnati.  Jane Krites, former CEO of Girl Scouts of Appleseed Ridge, Inc., will serve as Executive Vice-President.  Roni Luckenbill, of Cincinnati, will serve as Chief Operating Officer, and Susan Osborn, also of Cincinnati, will serve as Chief Strategy Officer.