Dear Blog Readers–

Thanks to the kindness of Juliette Gordon Low’s great-niece, Margaret M. Seiler, I can make available to you this marvelous photograph of taken at the White House when Juliette  Gordon Low was awarded the Medal of Freedom on May 29, 2012.

On the left is Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. To the right of President Obama are Richard Platt (Juliette’s great-nephew), Margaret M. Seiler (Juliette’s great-niece), Audrey Platt (Richard’s wife) and Connie Lindsey, Chair of the National Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. With them are five really lucky girls!

At the ceremony, President Obama had this to say about Juliette Gordon Low:

“Growing up in Georgia in the late 1800s, Juliette Gordon Low was not exactly typical.  She flew airplanes.  She went swimming.  She experimented with electricity for fun.  (Laughter.)  And she recognized early on that in order to keep up with the changing times, women would have to be prepared.  So at age 52, after meeting the founder of the Boy Scouts in England, Juliette came home and called her cousin and said, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world.  And we’re going to start it tonight!”  A century later, almost 60 million Girl Scouts have gained leadership skills and self-confidence through the organization that she founded.  They include CEOs, astronauts, my own Secretary of State.  And from the very beginning, they have also included girls of different races and faiths and abilities, just the way that Juliette would have wanted it.”

As he awarded the Medal of Freedom, President Obama said this:

“Richard Platt, accepting on behalf of his great aunt, Juliette Gordon Low.  An artist, athlete and trailblazer for America’s daughters, Juliette Gordon Low founded an organization to teach young women self-reliance and resourcefulness.  A century later, during the “Year of the Girl,” the Girl Scouts’ more than 3 million members are leaders in their communities and are translating new skills into successful careers.  Americans of all backgrounds continue to draw inspiration from Juliette Gordon Low’s remarkable vision, and we celebrate her dedication to empowering girls everywhere.” [1]

Thanks to Margaret Seiler for the use of the photo. Please don’t use it without her permission.

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[1] The President’s remarks can be found on the White House website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/05/29/remarks-president-presidential-medal-freedom-ceremony