Cape Girardeau Resident Named to Girl Scouts Board of Directors

Laura Klipfel (Cape Girardeau) has been named Member at Large to the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland (GSMH). Klipfel is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts. She has served as National Council Delegate representing GSMH at the 2014 National Council Session in Salt Lake City, UT. She began her involvement as a Girl Scout Brownie in the first grade and continued until her senior year of high school, earning both the Girl Scout Silver and Girl Scout Gold Awards. She attended three Wider Opportunities as a Girl Scout in California, Massachusetts, and Indiana; attended Camp Cherokee Ridge for nine years, and served as camp staff. Klipfel has served as a Girl Scout troop leader for six years, served as GSMH Council delegate for two years, school coordinator for three years, service unit media coordinator for two years, and has planned several service unit events.

Klipfel lives in Cape Girardeau with her husband Travis and her two children. She stays very active with her children in Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, as classroom parent, and soccer coach. In addition to her volunteer work with Girl Scouts, Klipfel serves her community as a food bank volunteer, United Way Volunteer, Special Olympics Missouri games management team member, and member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. She enjoys spending time with her family, running, baking, and volunteering.

"We are excited to welcome such a community advocate and role model for girls on our Board of Directors," said Chief Executive Officer Anne Soots. "Her experience, knowledge and skills will help us advance our mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place."

About the Girl Scout Leadership Experience

Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls in grades K-12. With 3.3 million girl and adult members worldwide, Girl Scouts is the leading authority on girls' healthy development. Today's Girl Scout Leadership Experience has evolved to fit a wide variety of interests of schedules. With five program pathways -- events, series, camp, troops, and travel -- girls have more options and more reasons to join than ever before. Through hands-on learning opportunities and a girl-led decision-making process, the Girl Scout Leadership Experience empowers girls to discover a strong sense of self, connect with others in a changing world, and take action to help make the world a better place.

About Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland

Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland has a membership of just over 15,000 girls and 5,000 adults across 68 counties in central and southern Missouri, southeast Kansas, and northeast Oklahoma. With the support of community partners, donors, and volunteers, we mentor and support girls as they develop crucial life skills and prepare to take the lead -- today, tomorrow, and for the rest of their lives. For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts, call 877-312-4764 or visit us on the web at www.girlscoutsmoheartland.org.