Local Girl Scouts from  Ft.Sheridan, Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Bluff and Lake Forest are celebrating 100 years of girls making the world a better place by hosting special events that welcome alumnae, family and community members to join in the festivities.

Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouting on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Ga., in order to give girls access to unique leadership opportunities that enabled them to contribute to society in meaningful ways. Low believed girls were as interested in sports, science, community service and making a difference in the world as boys. The organization quickly grew from 18 original members and now boasts more than 3.2 million girl and adult members nationwide today.

To honor the memory of the very first Girl Scout meeting, girls of all ages and adult volunteers are hosting special community-based Promise Circles at 7:12 p.m. March 12. Promise Circles will be held in numerous locations throughout the 245 communities served by Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

Current area Girl Scouts will join together with former Girl Scouts from every decade to recite the Girl Scout Promise and Law, followed by the singing of “Make New Friends.”

Local scouts will gather at Lake Forest College in the new Athletic Building at 7 p.m. March 12, so to be in place for the circle at 7:12 p.m. The event will last about a half an hour and current as well as alumni Girl Scouts are invited. 

The Lake Forest College Athletic Building is located approximately two-thirds of a mile south of Deerpath Road at the corner of Sheridan Road and Maplewood. If heading south on Sheridan from Deerpath, turn right on Maplewood and the building will be on your left side. At the stop sign take a left turn and park in the parking lot. The building has a beautiful glass wall entrance.

In addition, girls and women who have ever been Girl Scouts, including as a Brownie, are encouraged to wear a green lapel ribbon during Girl Scout Week, observed March 11-17. They also are encouraged to reconnect to the organization by registering as a member of its alumnae association at www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org/connect-as-alum. 

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana impacts the lives of nearly 87,000 girls and 24,000 adult members in 245 communities in six Illinois counties (Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kankakee, Lake, and Will) and four Indiana counties (Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter). Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

For more information, learn about other special 100^th anniversary activities or find a list of all Promise Circle locations, visit www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org.