Kim Charity of Center Barnstead named Volunteer of the Month for empowering Girl Scouts

CENTER BARNSTEAD — Kim Charity has always loved children and helping them build confidence and learn new skills. She is being honored as the Volunteer of the Month for September by Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, the council serving girls across New Hampshire and Vermont.

Charity, 41, of Center Barnstead, a registered nurse, is starting her 11th year leading Troop 10340. The 18 Girl Scouts in her troop range from second-graders to sixth-graders, bridging this fall to the Brownie, Junior and Cadette levels.

“I was a Girl Scout when I was younger,” she said, “and I always liked the empowerment for girls, and making them feel like they had something that they could belong to.”

“Her dedication to her community and the troop has been a true commitment,” said DeeDee Rice, volunteer support specialist for the Girl Scout council. “Kim is always looking for new adventures for her girls and providing them with a well-rounded program to include opportunities out of doors.”

The troop has loved outdoor adventures, earning many outdoor badges, going camping and is now considering starting a Trailblazer troop program for the Cadette level. Charity is an experienced camper, having done tent camping with her family and the outdoor training provided through Girl Scouts.

“We do a yearly camporee trip. This year we did tent camping, and the girls follow their kaper charts, allowing the girls to experience camping to the fullest, with a chance to practice all their outdoor skills,” she said. “I feel like the girls are interested in getting outdoors, so we went on a troop hike and worked on our Trail Adventure badge.”

Charity has also taken on the job of coordinating fall product and Girl Scout Cookie sales for her troop, which requires a lot of time and organization.

“The girls really like selling cookies at their cookie booths and dressing up in cookie costumes,” she said. “We work on the Cookie Entrepreneur pins that have troop and home activities. We talk about money, our sales pitch, and we practice talking to customers with each other. I think that the girls definitely get a lot out of it. I also like to have the girls pull their orders themselves when they come to my house to pick up extra cookies so they know exactly what they’re getting.”

Cookie proceeds have allowed her Girl Scouts to achieve personal goals as well as troop goals like a trip to Acadia State Park, going to camporee and other fun activities.

But it’s not just cookies, Charity emphasized. “We have a lot of opportunities that you might not get anywhere else. I feel like it opens girls up for friendships and fun experiences.”

Her troop also learned about government, cheered on walkers at a breast cancer walk fundraiser and had a great time learning the etiquette, planning and hosting skills necessary to throw a watermelon party for area troops.

For Charity, volunteering is a rewarding experience and she recommends it to others.

“I would say don’t be hard on yourself. It doesn’t have to be perfect. As long as the girls are having fun, and they’re together,” she said. “You can start off small with a camp song or by learning the promise. It doesn’t have to be 100 percent. Take your time and see what the girls are interested in.”

Volunteering is also a great way for adults to make friends.

“I feel like I have,” she said.” I think it’s hard to make friends as an adult. So when you have this kids’ friend group, you tend to be friends with their parents, too. You get to learn who they are and you understand the girls better, too.”