New Girl Scout Patch Celebrates CT Women & Their Achievements

HARTFORD — Girl Scouts around the state will now be able to earn a new Girl Scout Patch that celebrates the contributions made by women in Connecticut’s rich history, Lt. Governor M. Jodi Rell recently announced.

In a press conference conducted from her state capitol office on March 6, Lt Gov Rell said, “This new patch gives us one more opportunity to promote and celebrate the many contributions Connecticut women have made locally and around the world. With more than 50,000 Girl Scouts in our state, we can make a significant impact in teaching our children about the generations of women who blazed new trails for our benefit.”

During the press conference, Lt Governor Rell unveiled a prototype of the new patch. Girl Scouts across the state will be able to earn the patch if they visit at least two sites listed on the Connecticut Women’s Heritage Trail, which was established a year ago by the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame to honor the accomplishments of Connecticut women.

The girls are also required to complete a summary sheet about those visits and to participate in a discussion about the women who either worked at or lived at the sites.

Among the sites are The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford, which chronicles Stowe’s accomplishments as an author and reformer; The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, which houses a vast collection of American Impressionist paintings collected by Florence Griswold; and Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary in Fairfield, a tribute to Mabel Osgood Wright, a pioneer in environmental education and the founder of the Connecticut and national Audubon societies.

Girl Scouts are also encouraged to visit the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame at the University of Hartford and to create their own personal women’s hall of fame about women they know and admire.

The Connecticut Women’s Heritage Trail patch will be available to all 50,000 Girl Scouts registered in the state’s five councils. The new Girl Scout patch is oval in shape and incorporates a portion of the logo for the Connecticut Women’s Heritage Trail in purple stitching over a green background.

“As we celebrate Women’s History Month during March, we should be especially mindful of all of the accomplishments of Connecticut women since the founding of our nation. There are countless Connecticut women who can serve as role models for all of our state’s residents, whether male or female, young or old,” said Lt Governor Rell.

“Especially now, at the start of the 21st Century, we must not lose sight of the fact that the 20th Century represented a turning point for women in the United States. They received the right to vote, entered the professional workforce in great numbers, ran for public office and made tremendous strides in medicine, academia, sports and arts,” said Lt Gov Rell.

“Connecticut women have truly earned a place in our state’s and our nation’s history through their leadership in these fields and through their impact on so many lives,” she continued.

“With the creation of this new patch, girls from across the state can take an active role in learning about Connecticut women who broke new ground and excelled in a variety of careers. Their leadership provides an excellent lesson for our Girl Scouts in setting and achieving goals,” said Bobbie Campbell, the executive director of the Connecticut Valley Girl Scout Council.