St Louis group wished to donate money from bracelet sale to children’s relief fund but Girl Scouts said it could make political statement
The response was surprising to Abuhamdeh, who recalled other Girl Scout troops organizing to help families in Ukraine after Russia invaded in February 2022. According to the Girl Scouts website, a troop in Westlake, Ohio, collected medical supplies and pack first-aid kits to be distributed in Ukraine, and “also exchanged small gifts like friendship bracelets and cookies”.
Faced with the difficult decision to either stop selling the bracelets or to disband from Girl Scouts entirely, Abuhamdeh left the choice up to the girls.
“They stayed quiet for a while, and their first question to me was, ‘Well, what’s our group name gonna be?’” Abuhamdeh said. “It wasn’t a hard decision for them."