Being a member of Girl Scouts means more than just cookies, camping and crafts.

“We want to help girls understand there is a lot more to Girl Scouts,” said Terri Ayers, community development manager for the local office. “Those are important parts of Girl Scouts, but that is not all we’re about. We’re about courage, confidence and character.”

Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana strives to build girls who will make the world a better place. Girls discover fun, friendship and the power of girls together.

“I think the best part about Girl Scouts is it gives the girls a place that is just theirs,” Ayers said. “They can be themselves, have fun and are in a safe environment.”

According to Ayers, the Girl Scouts has a long history and connection, not only with the United States, but with Cass County.

The Girl Scouts will celebrate their 100-year anniversary in 2012. The organization consists of 3.5 million members in the United States. Cass County serves 300 girls and also works closely with 100 adult volunteers a year.

Ayers said the Girl Scouts has many programs for girls at every age level, from kindergarten to seniors in high school.

“We have age appropriate programs and offer things they are interested in,” she said. “We want them to discover themselves, the world around them and what they are all about. We want them to connect with their neighbors, the community, other girls and Cass County and take a step of action. We want our girls to look at something and see that it’s a problem and do something about it.”

Ayers explained girls could do something as small as pick up litter along a fence or at a park, or they could help to landscape outside of Emmaus Mission Center, something a Daisy Troop worked on this summer.

“We want to help them build leadership skills, so they can make good decisions for themselves and become good citizens,” Ayers said. “It starts when they are little and they don’t even realize what they are learning. They are having fun, but are learning important lessons. They learn how to give back and not expect anything in return. That’s an awesome lesson.”

The Girl Scout organization differs from other groups available to girls, Ayers said.

“Girl Scouts has the ability to shape girls into strong leaders, which will help make a difference for the future,” she said.

Cass County is home to Camp Wildwood, which consists of 42 acres of land on the city’s south side. In addition to a vast array of marked trails, the camp includes a bird blind, a small wooden building where girls can get an up-close look at nature’s creatures. In addition to birds, they can see deer, groundhogs and other animals that make their home in the woods.

“It is a very nice area for the girls to spend outdoors and develop outdoor skills,” Ayers said.

Also at Camp Wildwood, six circuit stations exist to allow the girls the opportunity for healthy activities in an outdoor environment.

“Healthy living is a big part of what we want to teach girls,” Ayers said. “We try to incorporate that into the program.”

Some of the activities allow the girls to earn badges.

“Once they have done all the different requirements, they earn a badge and can display it on their sash or vest,” Ayers explained.

The council also holds a number of monthly activities for the troops. Examples include a “Sciences Everywhere” program, which will help the girls complete experiments; “Do Art to Wear” program, which will allow the girls to transform clothing they already own; and “Zink the Zebra,” a program that will teach the girls about the differences that make everyone special.

The multi-county Girl Scout council is one of 10 member agencies of the United Way of Cass County. Ayers said the organization is able to provide quality programs at a minimal cost because of the funding received from United Way.

“If we didn’t have that funding, it would be difficult to provide programs at low costs,” said Ayers. “United Way unbelievably helps everyone who wants to be in Girl Scouts be in Girl Scouts.”

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com