AHG ‘Believes That Each Stage of Life Is Valued in the Eyes of God; Advocating for Life Recognizes the Dignity of All Humankind’
September 20, 2021
CINCINNATI, Ohio — Life is always worth supporting; it’s always worth fighting for. In the case of American Heritage Girls (AHG, www.americanheritagegirls.org)—one of the largest Christian, scout-type organizations in the world—life is also worth marching for, as demonstrated by this past weekend’s activities.
On Friday, Sept. 17, 2021, AHG Troops proudly took part in Virginia’s March for Life event, which the Family Foundation of Virginia co-sponsored. A rally began at noon on the state capitol grounds in Richmond; it was then followed by the march, which lasted approximately an hour. Last year, the state of Virginia passed a law allowing any public-school student to use one excused absence per school year for a civic engagement day—and this march qualified. For their participation, AHG members earned the Respect Life Badge or Pin.
Says AHG Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay, “AHG believes that each stage of life is valued in the eyes of God and that advocating for life recognizes the dignity of all humankind. That’s why our Troops earn the Respect Life Patch or Pin when they participate in any event that brings attention to respecting life, or by providing service to an organization whose mission or purpose demonstrates a desire to respect life, such as pregnancy centers, pro-life groups and hospices.”
AHG Troops are not just familiar with helping others—they regularly perform service of all types within their communities year-round. In the last AHG Program Year ending May 30, 2021, girls performed an impressive total of 417,295 service hours, despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic.
Adds Garibay, “As our Troop volunteers create their programming calendars for each Program Year, they’re encouraged to pray with their AHG Troop Board, Charter Organization, and the girls themselves to decide for whom and where their Troop can serve—and how to make an impact. Service has always been integral to our program. Throughout my tenure as a volunteer working with girls and now as a leader of volunteers who work with girls, one area remains constant: Girls love service. Girls grow emotionally and spiritually from serving. They become more compassionate and empathetic when they consider the needs of others.”
Garibay points out “the many benefits that community service provides to young people”:
- Girls gain an increased sense of self-efficacy.
- They experience higher academic achievement and more interest in furthering their education.
- They strengthen their problem-solving skills and the ability to work with others in teams.
- They develop enhanced civic engagement attitudes and behaviors.
AHG’s mission is to build women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country. Itis dedicated to providing authentic, positive, and values-driven character and leadership development opportunities and outdoor adventure for girls across the nation.
American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 by a group of parents who wanted this faith-based, scout-type character development program for their daughters. At AHG, girls ages five to 18 meet together as a single Troop at the same time and then break out into Units by Levels. This gives AHG girls the important social experience of interacting with friends and godly mentors of various ages; members also learn leadership skills within a group setting. AHG Troops are located in local communities across the nation. If none exists in a given area, families can bring the AHG Program to their own area. An American Heritage Girls Troop Development Coach is available to provide resources to potential Charter Organizations and other families to form a new Troop. To hear more about the purpose, mission, and vision of AHG from Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay, click here.
Today, there are Troops in all 50 states and girls being served in 15 countries around the globe. Girls can join a Troop at any time; if a Troop is not available nearby, they can become a Trailblazer and enjoy the AHG program alongside their parent. A variety of Christian denominations are also represented as Charter Organizations for Troops. Thousands of volunteer members across the country are helping girls grow in their faith, cultivate a heart for service, enjoy the great outdoors, and have more fun than they can imagine.
The “Raising Godly Girls” radio feature and Raising Godly Girls blog shares guidance and biblically based advice on many key topics affecting girls today. It gives parents, educators, and faith community leaders a set of tools, resources, and Scripture-based advice to assist in raising girls after God’s own heart. The “Raising Godly Girls Minute” with Patti Garibay airs on 900+ Christian radio stations across the country.
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To schedule interviews with Patti Garibay, Founder and Executive Director of American Heritage Girls, contactMedia@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
To inquire about airing the “Raising Godly Girls Minute” with Patti Garibay, contact Michael Hamilton, 610.584.1096, ext. 101.