· Penny Cooper – Girl Scouts of the Old 96 Council, Mauldin, SC;
· Pam Hyland – Girl Scout Council of the Congaree Area, Columbia, SC;
· Kim Hutzell – Girl Scouts of the Piedmont Area Council, Spartanburg, SC.

Our jurisdictional Council Realignment Committee contracted with the three of us to be the transition leadership team for the planning phase leading up to realignment and for the initial operational phase of the new council.

As of May 1, 2008, Mountains to Midlands welcomes three more South Carolina counties – Aiken, Edgefield and McCormick – who are joining us from the former Girl Scouts, Central Savannah River Council, which was headquartered in Augusta, GA.

As we build on the legacy of the past, I look forward to the days ahead. To be successful as a council and as individuals we must work together to foster good relationships – the key to change and “making our world bigger so that more of our greatness can show up,” in the words of Meg Wheatley, national business consultant. We must focus on making new friends as we develop relationships across the council, seizing opportunities to work with each other, connecting girls and volunteers with community partners from Oconee to Camden and Gaffney to Sumter.

Our council is working hard to move forward in providing programs to meet the needs and interests of girls today. We are defining a leadership experience with measurable results. We are discovering flexible ways for busy volunteers to serve. We are tapping new funding resources like the 40 million alumnae nationwide. We are promoting a relevant, reinvigorated brand. We are creating an efficient organizational structure and governance system. We will make good on our promise to young women and to our communities to develop leaders and responsible citizens.

My commitment is to our continued forward progress. Our goals continue to inspire us all to do our best. Girl Scouting helps girls discover their potential as leaders. As Mountains to Midlands we want to build and maintain the quality pathways on which girls can journey toward a prosperous future. Thank you for joining us on this journey.