Zink Goes to Germany

Co-leader, Mike Weisland, Shows Zink Puppet

ZINK THE ZEBRA INSPIRES USA GIRL SCOUTS OVERSEAS

North Atlantic Training Conference participants hear inspirational, thought-provoking messages

Zink the Zebra, a non-profit organization based in Milwaukee, Wis. brought its messages of diversity, compassion, respect and understanding to Germany and the USA Girl Scout Overseas North Atlantic Training Conference. More than 200 people, representing 12 countries participated in the three-day conference.

USA Girl Scouts Overseas, founded in 1951, is an overseas extension of Girl Scouts USA. Its purpose is to develop, guide and maintain Girl Scouting for American girls living outside of the country – many who have a parent in or affiliated with the military.

The Zink the Zebra organization was invited to attend the conference by Mary Edna Wuertenberger. Adult development and program services director for the North Atlantic Girl Scouts, Wuertenberger learned of Zink’s mission of compassion and tolerance and thought the messages would be timely given current world affairs and their implications to American military families. Zink the Zebra focuses its programs to help girls accept and value the differences in others.More importantly, Zink teaches those involved to accept and sometimes cope with change in a safe and supportive environment.

“For our group, the Zink messages teach us to accept and sometimes cope with change,” said Wuertenberger. “Our families, whether military or civilian are in constant flux – relocations, new friends, parents traveling for business or for deployment. These stresses need to be addressed in a safe and supportive environment where girls can freely talk about their feelings, but also find solutions that work for them as individuals.”

Patty McGrew represented Zink and delivered three presentations. The results of the post-presentation surveys showed that the attendees positively received the messages.

Wuertenberger said that she expects Zink the Zebra and its positive messages will definitely find a home in future North Atlantic conferences.

Since 1951, Girl Scouting in Europe has been a Girl Scouts of the USA tradition.USA Girl Scouts Overseas-North Atlantic (USAGSO) is an overseas extension of GSUSA.They serve 6,500 American girls overseas in 51 military and civilian neighborhoods in eight countries.

About Zink the Zebra

Zink the Zebra Foundation (www.zinkthezebra.org), a non-profit organization, is dedicated to creating and implementing diversity educational programs for children to help teach them about understanding, respect, compassion, and acceptance of others.

At the same time, our programs help children build self-esteem, provide diversity awareness and promote self-acceptance. By encouraging positive character development, Zink the Zebra Foundation hopes to influence a better life for our children's future and for those with actual or perceived differences.

The Foundation takes its name from a compassionate story written by 11-year-old Kelly Weil before she died of cancer in 1993. Kelly's story, Zink the Zebra - A Special Tale, is about a zebra named Zink who has spots instead of stripes. Zink questions why she is treated differently just because she looks different on the outside. She knows that on the inside she has the same hopes, dreams and feelings of any other zebra. Through Zink, Kelly conveys the powerful message that all people, regardless of interests, education, cultural background, economic status, level of ability, and/or physical differences, are more alike than they are different.

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