'Girl Scouts Love State Parks' initiative aims to get every girl outside July 13-14

Girl Scouts of Western New York encourages girls to have outdoor experiences in Western New York along with thousands of girls in hundreds of state parks across the U.S.

Girl Scouts of Western New York and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) announced their first “Girl Scouts Love State Parks” weekend, July 13–14. This event is designed to for girls and their families and friends to experience the great outdoors, an integral part of the organization’s all-girl leadership program. Join Girl Scouts of Western New York and thousands of girls in hundreds of state parks across the U.S. to find adventure, explore nature, and learn what Girl Scouts is all about.

The legacy of Girl Scouts and the outdoors is profound. Studies show 71 percent of girl members ages 8-14 tried their first outdoor activity through the organization, and half would not have had access to outdoor activities and programming if not for Girl Scouts. GSUSA’s cutting-edge environmental conservation; camping; and outdoor science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programming is rooted in a passion for adventure and healthy risk-taking combined with taking action to protect the environment for present and future generations.

In collaboration with the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD), Girl Scouts of Western New York will host events July 13 at Letchworth State Park, Allegany State Park and Buffalo Harbor State Park, and July 14 at Beaver Island State Park. To sign up, visit www.gswny.org. Participants can also purchase an exclusive “Girl Scouts Love State Parks” patch and other related merchandise from the Girl Scout Shop.

“When girls spend quality time outdoors and increase their exposure to nature, they thrive physically, emotionally and intellectually,” said Alison Wilcox, CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York. “ ‘Girl Scouts Love State Parks’ events, along with other vital, year-round outdoor programs, are crucial for girls to expand their knowledge around the importance of experiencing the outdoors in meaningful ways to help build a lifetime of leadership.”

“GSUSA has always been a leader in getting girls outdoors, and we are excited to open our state parks specifically to the organization this July,” said Lewis Ledford, NASPD CEO. “Girls can flex their leadership and risk-taking skills while exploring the parks, learning something new, and, most of all, having fun.”

Visit www.gswny.org or call 1-888-837-6410 to learn more about “Girl Scouts Love State Parks” events in Western New York.