For one hour on Saturday, the Girl Scouts were in charge of the Village of Malverne. Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes took over Village Hall for Malverne’s annual Girl Scout Government Day.
Scouts are assigned to play the roles of a range of village officials and administrators, from Elany Cales taking on the role of Malverne Mayor Tim Sullivan to Annalise Rick, who shared the responsibilities of Public Works Superintendent Kevin Brady.
“It’s my honor to be here today with all the girl scouts to celebrate Girl Scout Government Day,” State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said.
Girl Scout Government Day is a tradition in the village. It began in 1976, with a proclamation by then Mayor Stewart R. Morrow, and has continued since then. Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, a Malverne resident and former Girl Scout, has hosted the ceremony since she served as a village trustee.
“Gloria Braun had been a girl scout leader in this area and did Girl Scout Government Day for years and when she could no longer do it, Mayor Patti Ann McDonald asked me to pick up the torch,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said. “I’m so happy it has continued for all of these years.”
Leading up to the event, each of the scouts was assigned a Village Hall job and interviewed the person who holds it to learn about what it entails. The girls then held a mock village board meeting at which they took on their respective roles in the village government and presented what they do for the community.
The girls also shared each of the official’s favorite girl scout cookie — with Samoas taking the lead as Village Hall’s favorite.
Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick was also joined by State Assemblywoman Judy Griffin and Town of Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray, who was the first female town supervisor. “The political figures in this room — the ones that aren’t on the village board —they’re all women,” Mayor Sullivan said. “That’s outstanding, that you have such talented and accomplished women representing you here in Malverne, in the state, county, and town.”
After their presentations, the scouts were presented with certificates for their participation in the event. Then scouts, parents, troop leaders and village officials all gathered at Malverne Fire Department headquarters to enjoy hotdogs, chicken fingers, fries, and girl scout cookies.
