Juneau, Alaska – Alaska First Lady Sandy Parnell hosted Troop Co-Chair Representative Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, and the other members of the Honorary Legislative Girl Scout Troop 49 late Wdnesday afternoon.

Troop 49 is the first Honorary Legislative Girl Scout Troop in Alaska and counts the First Lady, state department commissioners, senators and representatives among its members.

“We know that women make up a growing share of the workforce; more women are business owners than ever before,” Hughes said. It is important that we as legislators ensure that we work together on issues that impact the lives of women and girls. I’m excited to be a part of this group working to support girls and ultimately the needs and interests of women, families, neighborhoods, communities, and our state.

“As appointed and elected leaders of our communities and for our state, we are important role models and partners for Girl Scouts,” Sue Perles, Girl Scouts of Alaska CEO, said. “Girl Scouts teaches girls leadership skills and how with courage, confidence and character they can make a difference in their communities and the world. We represent the possibilities that exist for girls, and we are here today because we want to continue working together to ensure that through organizations like Girl Scouts, all girls in Alaska have a wide world of options available to them.”

According to a press release from the Girl Scouts, 80% of women business owners and CEOs today were once Girl Scouts, every female astronaut who has flown in space was a Girl Scout, and of those that are serving in the US Congress, 70% of them were Girl Scouts.

Girl Scouts serve more than 5,000 Girl Scouts in 90 different communities statewide regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances.