Community Corner

Sparta Woman 'Honored' to Become New Girl Scout President

Betty Garger was recently appointed as the president and CEO of Girl Scouts Northern New Jersey.

Girl scouts has been a part of most of Betty Garger's life, but she never imagined that it would be her career.

Twenty five years after joining and serving numerous positions, the Sparta resident is now the president and CEO of Girl Scouts Northern New Jersey.

Garger, who was appointed earlier this month, said she felt privileged to be selected for the position.

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"I was very honored," she said. "It's something that I was really striving for. I was very excited that I was selected and that that great trust had been placed in me."

She said her experience in the organization has been "humbling" the past two and a half decades, coming to work knowing that she is helping the community.

Find out what's happening in Hopatcong-Spartawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Girls scouts is a major force in the community in charge of community service and leadership, and really being stewards of the environment," she said. "To know that you're part of that, it's really something that makes me feel so humbled and so happy."

Garger is the current chief operating officer of GSNNJ. She previously served as the assistant executive director, communications director and membership director. She was also the CEO of Girl Scouts: Lenni-Lenape Council before the organization merged in 2007.

Garger said prior to her appointment, she worked closely with the former President and CEO, Helen M. Wronsk.

Garger, who joined girl scouts in second grade, said it has been "amazing" to see some of the other long-time members grow up.

"Some of the people I met when I first started, the young girls are now moms," she said. "It's so rewarding to see what they've become, the experience that they've had, how they've impacted the community."

Garger has two children of her own, a daughter, Amanda, 21, and son, Drew, 16.

Her daughter was a girl scout from kindergarten to her senior year of high school, and received the Gold Award, which is the highest girl scout honor a member can receive.

Garger said with her new position, she hopes to work with the board of directors, volunteers and staff to recruit more members.

"We want to increase girl membership," she said. "One out of every five girls in Northern New Jersey is a girl scout, but I want to see that grow."

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey is comprised of 33,800 girl scouts across 160 municipalities in Sussex, Morris, Passaic, Bergen and the top half of Warren County.

Of those girls, 221 are from Hopatcong, and 543 are in the combined Sparta and Ogdensburg group.


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