Help Green Scouts become a reality!

Chances are, if you know me in "real life," I've already pleaded with you to help me on this project. If you're one of my friends from the interwebby, your time has come. Mwah-hahahahaha...

I've been volunteering with an awesome non-profit organization called Green Scouts. I describe them as the tree hugger's version of the Girl or Boy Scouts.

I was a girl scout for many years, as was my mom before me. In fact, she was my troop leader. I loved what scouting was all about -- the friendships, the learning projects, the fun activities -- and want my kids to have some of the same experiences that I enjoyed as a child. I also want them to learn about sustainability and the other "green" values that I have as an adult. (In addition to what we're teaching them at home, naturally.) Green Scouts embraces those values.

Green Scouts

The organization's mission is to educate young members of the community to be action-oriented environmental leaders, providing green solutions for today and for a safer tomorrow. Their "org chart" so to speak is shaped like a tree with the roots being the core values of Awareness, Courage, Cooperation, Commitment, Leadership, Respect and Knowledge. The trunk is the community, from which the branches (troops) extend, and the leaves are the members.

In order to get a curriculum developed and written, train branch leaders, and get branches started, we need some money. Late last month we found out that we were finalists in the Pepsi Refresh contest. If we win, we would receive a $250k grant from Pepsi, which would allow us to do these things - and much more.

What You Can Do

Vote!

Every day in August, go to http://www.refresheverything.com/greenscouts and vote for Green Scouts. After you vote, the site will also give you an option to snag a widget for your blog or website.

Share this with your friends, family, neighbors, church group, book club, moms group, blog, and social networks. We talk all the time in the green blogosphere about action being the key to real social change. Please help us get this amazing group going to by taking action today.

What's In It For You?

Good Karma, pride, and (hopefully!) an environmentally-focused organization that will help to shape the future leaders of our country.

I'm also offering a free gift, handmade by moi, to a few lucky winners. It may be one of my tote bags, a utensil wrap, or something else crafty and clever. Each person who commits to voting every day in August will receive one entry. You can get additional entries for sending this to your friends and family, posting on Facebook or Twitter, "liking" the Green Scouts on Facebook, or sharing it in some other way. Just let me know in the comments and I'll enter you for your chance(s) to win.