| The Council was chartered by
the Girl Scouts of the USA on January 1, 1958, to provide
the Girl Scout program. Girl Scouts met in the Council's
North Central Alabama area as early as 1917 — just
five years after Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scout
organization in Savannah, Georgia. These lone troops were
organized and gained much support from the Tennessee Valley
coal industry.
In 1942, the first Girl Scout troops were organized in the African-American community of Birmingham
and a partnership with the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District began in 1967. Currently we
serve the seven-county jurisdiction of Blount, Cherokee, Etowah, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and
Walker.
The Girl Scouts of Cahaba Council has a history of pioneering outreach programs to meet the needs of
an evolving community:
- Since the 1960s, we have served the migrant Hispanic population, starting in St. Clair County
during the summer farming season. In 2002, we implemented a national Girl Scout Initiative that
focuses on taking the Girl Scout program to the Latina population. Through our Hispanic
Initiative, we are reaching the newest members of our community, striving to blend them into our
Girl Scout program.
- In 2003, the Cahaba Council was recognized by Girl Scouts of the USA for initiating the first Girl
Scouting in Public Housing program in the country. That program was begun in 1967 by providing
a safe place, called Scout Houses, for girls living in public housing communities. We currently
maintain a presence in four housing communities in Jefferson and Etowah counties.
- For over 10 years, the Cahaba Council has offered an outreach program, Girl Scouting During
the School Day, so that more girls can enjoy the benefits of Girl Scouting. We serve over 2,700
girls in elementary and middle schools each year through this program.
Outdoor activities and camping are an integral part of
the Girl Scout program. Our area held its first Girl Scout
camp at Camp Winnataska in June of 1923. For a $10 fee,
a girl could spend the week at camp, as well as pay for
her railroad fare from Birmingham. In 1925, Camp Gertrude
Coleman in Trussville was purchased. The Civitans were helpful
in the early years aiding in the construction of the first
bridge and buildings. By 1976, another tract of land in
Shelby County was being developed — Kanawahala Program
Center, which means "Land to the South." Girls
enjoy this facility year-round with its 45-acre lake, nature
center, water activities, and well-marked trails.
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