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2020 Annual Report
Letter from the President and CEO
2020 was a year that made us all stop and see things more clearly. In the chaos and confusion of a global pandemic, racial reckoning and financial uncertainty, we at Girl Scouts took a moment to reflect on the priorities and principles which have been our compass for more than a century.
Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road pivoted our pillar programs as we continued our outreach to our girls and their families. We adapted the delivery of our programming to safe virtual spaces and connected our girl entrepreneurs to individuals and businesses wanting to purchase Girl Scout Cookies. We concentrated on living the Girl Scout Promise and Law and, most of all, in making the world a better place.
Girl Scouts is a sisterhood, a community and a network of dedicated advocates who champion girl leadership and resiliency. This year has presented many challenges, but it has also reinforced our dedication to the Girl Scout mission. Together, we will move onward, reaching up as well as reaching out. Together, we will continue to transform the leadership landscape for our girls and promote the ideals of courage, confidence and character. Together, we look forward to recovery and toward a brighter tomorrow.
As we look forward, there is much more to do. And we look forward to Girl Scouts – full of potential and possibility, grit and grace, commitment and compassion – to lead the way.
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road serves communities in 66 counties in northern, central, eastern and southern Kentucky and 1 county in Ohio. We are fully dedicated to sharing the Girl Scout leadership experience with all girls – regardless of background, geography or financial situation – so they may reach their fullest potential.
Board of Directors
October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020
Volunteers
Behind every Girl Scout is a team of caring adults who are passionate about sharing experiences and seeing girls succeed. No matter how they are involved – as a Troop Leader, Cookie Manager or a camp clean-up crew member – our volunteers are crucial to GSKWR’s success. Together, we are partners in growing girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.
Volunteers - 2,641
4,936 GSKWR adult members and volunteers experienced virtual training with gsLearn, with 15 courses and 4 learning paths.
Governance
2020 kicked off GSKWR’s Town Hall Series with the CEO to share programs and progress with adult members, volunteers and supporters. Topics included Programming (January 18, 2020), Funding Girl Scouts (February 29, 2020), Volunteerism (May 2, 2020) and Girl Scout Governance (September 15, 2020).
Total Town Hall Attendance - 239
Volunteer Awards Ceremony Goes Virtual 
Unstoppable Women Creates Conversations
Girl Scout programming is at the very heart of the Girl Scout experience. For more than a century, girls have explored and experimented, delved and discovered, crafted and created – all through Girl Scouts' pillar programs.
Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road responded quickly to the impacts of the pandemic and shifted thoughtfully to provide Girl Scout programming within the safe spaces of girls’ homes. Our program team pivoted in-person patch-earning opportunities, badge workshops and events to offer 80 virtual Facebook Live events and 46 virtual programs. Most importantly, girls were able to feel connected to the Girl Scout sisterhood while participating in hands-on activities.
348 girls and 167 adults participated in the 15th Annual GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Science and Math) at The Craft Academy at Morehead State University. This signature events featured 20 workshops for a full day of science discoveries.
More than 1,200 online participants watched the Second Annual Stand Beside Her panel, featuring local women leaders who shared their stories and discussed the national movement inspiring women and girls to create an inclusive culture of support and compassion.
1,086 girls participated in virtual and in-person events.
The 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote was celebrated with the 2020 Women’s Suffrage Centennial Patch Program.
288 girls participated in Promise to Vote, a voter awareness program and community service partnership with the Kentucky Historical Society.
Every Girl Scout Cookie purchase helps the next generation of young female leaders get an important taste of what it takes to be successful – teamwork, planning, goal setting and a positive outlook – and all Cookie proceeds stay local, here in Kentucky. How delicious to support both girl initiative and our communities!
Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road cookie entrepreneurs faced many challenges in the 2020 Cookie Season. Thank you to everyone for supporting our girls and the opportunities that cookie earnings make possible.
- 1,091,688 boxes of cookies sold with $667,000 in total troop proceeds.
- 225 boxes sold per girl – a 7% increase!
- 56 businesses and individuals purchased 10,236 boxes through the Cookie Relief for Cookie Entrepreneurs program.
- 8,640 boxes were purchased though Operation Sweet Treat and donated to food banks throughout the council.
Thank you for supporting our Cookie Entrepreneurs!
Cookie Relief for Cookie Entrepreneurs
Hiking the Hills at Camp Judy Layne
As one of Girl Scouts’ most historically significant and personally rewarding activities, camp is at the very core of what builds girls of courage, confidence and character. Not wanting our girls to miss out on outdoor experiences, GSKWR’s camp staff responded swiftly to the impacts of the pandemic and pivoted their programming to virtual experiences. Facebook Live events, such as campfire cooking and backpacking basics, brought the camp experience home. The Leave No Trace series taught campers to plan ahead, prepare, respect wildlife and tread lightly. Longtime campers Zoomed a final campfire every Thursday night in July.
Since summer 2020 saw our camps quiet, we focused on repairs and improvements to ready them for the campers' anticipated return in 2021. We hope to gather around the campfire soon!
634 encampment and troop campers experienced the outdoors at Camp Shawano, Camp Cardinal and Camp Judy Layne.
41 adventurers challenged by choice at climbing sessions at Camp Shawano.
67 amazing volunteers attended work days at Camp Judy Layne and Camp Shawano to lay new cabin floors, build bunkbeds, burn brush and clear trails.
The Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards are awarded to Junior, Cadette, Senior and Ambassador girls who display leadership while engaging in projects that benefit their communities. Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road is confident that these remarkable young women will continue to lead among their peers and throughout their lives with true courage, confidence and character.
Fifteen extraordinary Girl Scouts were recognized in March 2020 for their Gold Award projects. They created children’s literature databases and women’s suffrage activity books, homeless shelter training materials and child abuse advocacy patch programs. They built bee colonies, professional career closets, bat boxes and children’s libraries. They promoted technical and trade career education and mental and emotional health programs. They created a youth physical therapy center, a reflection garden and outdoor classroom, humane society enrichment toys, a shelter dog agility course, and lap blankets for veterans in hospice care.
Celebrating Bronze and Silver Drive in Style
Troop 1912 - Continuing the Legacy of Girl Scouts
Thank you to our generous contributors who made an investment in girls in fiscal year 2020 by supporting Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road. We celebrate our partnership and thank you for giving girls the opportunities and leadership experiences of Girl Scouts.
The gifts below were made between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020.
Gift Key: Board Member^ | Staff Member*
$10,000+
$5,000-$9,999
$2,500-$4,999
$1,000-$2,499
$500-$999
$250-$499
$100-$249
Up to $100
Troop 1912 Charter Members
Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road is honored to recognize its Charter Members of Troop 1912!
Launched February 2020, Troop 1912 is an honorary Girl Scout troop which recognizes individuals who partner financially and provide sustaining support for Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road. Thank you for your commitment to the traditions of Girl Scouts and for creating a legacy for the next generation of leaders.
Mr. and Mrs. William Baird III
Elizabeth Wade Barber
Karen Beckman
Carol^ and Michael Beirne
Jeanne Berger^
Chad Bilz^
Karen Bowie^
Jennifer Bramel
Terry Brewer*
Sara Ann Browning
Marketia Caisse
Connie Carl
Rosemary Carter
Mary Janet and Wendell Cartmell
John Chappell
Libby Chenault
Luisa Chenault
Gay Nell Conley
Betty J. Cowherd
Kim Cowherd
Diane Curry^
Tracy Curtis
Barbara Domek
Susan Douglas*
Tammy Durham*
John A. Duvall
Susan Eaton
Susan and Garry Elkington
Deidra Fajack*
Cathy Feltham
Nikki Duvall Fry*
Karen Grace
Margaret Graham
Kathy Duvall Grantham
Karen Greenwell^
Cindi Griffith*
Rick and Mary Beth Griffith
Anne Weston Hackett
Pat Haight
Lindsey Hamm
Courtney Hampton^
Teresa Hardesty
Ericka Harney
Phyllis Hasbrouck
Hannah Helm
Tamara Huffman
Daphne and Sherron Jackson
Emily Johnson*
Melanie and John Johnson
Opa Johnson
Charlotte Johnson
Dino Kent
Karen King
Micki King
Peter and Meghan Knapp
Mary E. Kornman
Billie Lepisto
Tammy Liles
Angela Lipscomb
Donita Lodmell
Virginia Long
Sandra McCain^
Susan and Warren McEuen
Haleigh McGraw*
Carolyn McNerney*
Stephanie Miceli
Susan Miller
Barbara Moore
Eileen M. O'Brien^
Stephen O'Hara
Laura Onken
Caryl Pfeiffer^
Rena Pigg*
Sherri Powers*
Aja Price
Myra Raiche
Linda Ramsey
Katherine Redmond
Kathleen Regan^ and Alison Dunn
Sarah Richardson
Rhonda Ritzi
Rachel C. Roberts^
Edith Sallee
Meghan Sandfoss
Ava Smith
Jo Smith
Nicki and Felix Swiderski
Julie Sygiel
Evelyn Tandy
Wade Tandy
Daniel and Marjorie Thomas
Erin Thomas
Becki Thompson
Angie Tinch*
SuZanne Troske
Jim and Marion Vruggink
Latricia Walker*
Cynthia Wayland*
Ruby Webster*
Gail Widmer^
Paula Wilcox*
Natalie Wilson
Juliette Gordon Low Society
Juliette Low Endowment
Tribute Gifts
Gifts in Kind
Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road gratefully acknowledges all donors who have invested in girls with their generous donations in our 2020 fiscal year. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information. Please contact the Fund Development Department at 859.293.2621 to bring any inaccuracies or omissions to our attention.
2019-2020 Financials
The condensed statements of financial position and activities have been summarized from the audited financial statements. The audited financial statements are available for inspection upon request.
