Girl Scouts, Chicago Sky, Motorola Partner to Lead Environmental Efforts

CHICAGO, April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- This spring Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana is partnering with the WNBA's Chicago Sky and Motorola to give girls an even greater voice on issues that significantly impact the environment.  

On April 22, (Earth Day), the Girl Scouts Forever Green Community Action Project will kick-off with a series of social media campaigns, public service announcements and media outreach to encourage the community to take action to protect the environment. The initiative will culminate with the Girl Scouts Forever Green Festival with the Chicago Sky at the Allstate Arena on June 5.

During the six-week campaign, Forever Green "change agents," who are community members who want to inspire others, will be challenged to collect as many cell phones and batteries as possible. Their stories and progress will be tracked through various social media resources.  Girls, their families, friends and the community-at-large will have the opportunity to learn about the impact of improperly discarded cell phones and batteries on the environment.  Even more, three local Girl Scouts are hosting a Forever Green Blog (www.chicagonow.com/blogs/forever-green/), to educate the public on the importance of environmental issues in Chicago, and offering ways the public can make an impact on various levels.

"This is such an important issue not only for our generation, but for generations to come," explained Girl Scout Joanne Dynak, 15, a Forever Green blogger from Harwood Heights. "We're proud to be part of this national movement, and can't wait to motivate others in our area – school groups, families and other community members – to make changes in our everyday choices that impact the environment."

Throughout the initiative, Girl Scout troops will showcase their own Forever Green recycling projects through local events across the Chicago and northwest Indiana area.

"Our Girl Scouts are taking action on the issues that are important to them. As the pre-eminent leadership organization for girls, that is exactly what we expect them to do. Role modeling environmentally responsible behavior and encouraging others to follow their lead is one way girls are making the world a better place. We're proud to partner with the Chicago Sky and Motorola in supporting girl leadership and the environment," said Maria Wynne, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

The Girl Scouts Forever Green Festival at Allstate Arena on June 5 will serve as the capstone event of the campaign. Forever Green "change agents" will bring the cell phones and batteries they've collected for recycling or proper disposal. Registration for the Girl Scouts Forever Green Festival – which includes a registration packet, admittance to the Forever Green Rally with complimentary food, beverage and music, and one ticket to the Chicago Sky "Go Green" game – is $20. The Chicago Sky has generously agreed to donate $5 to the Girl Scouts for every Festival registrant. Radio Disney, a Girl Scouts Forever Green Festival partner, will launch the Girl Scouts Forever Green Sweepstakes at the Festival, where attendees will be eligible to win fun prizes.

"Our entire professional sports organization and all our women athletes are thrilled to partner with the Girl Scouts on this environmentally focused community action project. Both organizations strongly support girls and women who take on leadership roles in their communities, especially to affect significant change as this initiative does," said Margaret Stender, President and CEO, Chicago Sky.

As a key Girl Scouts Forever Green Festival corporate partner, Motorola will provide cell phone recycling boxes at the festival.  "We are thrilled to be a Girl Scouts Forever Green partner. Motorola is committed to designing environmentally friendly products and to educating the public about the importance of recycling discarded cell phones and batteries," said Bill Olson, Director of the Office of Sustainability and Stewardship for Motorola Mobile Devices.  Recycled phones, when refurbished and reused, can provide affordable communications to people and communities around the world."

For more information and to register for the Girl Scouts Forever Green Festival, visit www.girlscoutsgcnwi.org. or follow the blog posts about this initiative written by three teen Girl Scouts at www.chicagonow.com/blogs/forever-green/.

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana impacts the lives of nearly 95,000 girls and 24,000 adult members in 245 communities in six Illinois counties (Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kankakee, Lake, and Will) and four Indiana counties (Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter). Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.  

SOURCE Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana

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