Published: September 20, 2009 11:45 pm      

Persons of the week: Couple dedicated to area Girl Scouts

For Ken and Sandra Balough, being involved with the Girl Scouts is a commitment to the future.

The couple along with other volunteers and staff deliver on that pledge by working with the girls to help them realize their potential.

The Ebensburg couple have been involved with the organization for more than a decade, serving in a variety of capacities.

Both have been recognized with the Volunteer Appreciation Award for their service.

The Baloughs serve on the Service Unit Team for their area, helping to plan various activities for girls in 19 troops in the Ebensburg area. The team also trains new troop leaders.

Sandra Balough has been the leader for Junior Troop 40701 in Ebensburg the past five years and her husband is a past leader of a troop in Ebensburg.

Both also are leaders with the Girl Scouts Day Camp program at Camp Conshatawba, located near Summerhill.

“The Girl Scouts encourage and promote the same ideals as the Boy Scouts,” said Ken Balough, an Eagle Scout and teacher at Altoona Area High School.

“They focus on building character and building leadership skills.

“It gives girls opportunities to try new things such as camping, learning about their community and helping others.”

The Baloughs became involved in the Girl Scouts about a dozen years ago when their oldest daughter, Anita, now a student at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, joined the organization.

Their other daughter, Jessica, is a member of Junior Troop 40701.

Sandra Balough said she was a Girl Scout and thus knows how the organization benefits girls.

“It enables them to make new friends and learn leadership skills,” said the dean of library services at St. Francis University, Loretto. “It teaches them to lead but to also let others lead.

“It also gives them the opportunity to experience things that they never have before.”

Sandra Balough said she has wonderful girls in her troop, a great assistant leader and caring parents who volunteer to help.

The couple said that the members of their Service Unit Team are dedicated to the organization.

The Baloughs also are active members at First United Church of Christ in Ebensburg.

Both teach Sunday school with Ken Balough serving as a deacon and Sandra Balough singing in the choir and a member on the search committee for a new pastor.

For their efforts, the Baloughs are the Persons of the Week.

Tracey Giger, membership manager at the Johnstown office of Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania, said the mission of the Girl Scouts is to inspire girls to do great things.

Leaders such as the Baloughs are good role models and an inspiration to the girls with whom they work, she said.

Carol Kuhar, a Girl Scout leader from Jackson Township and a member of the Service Unit Team, said the Baloughs enjoy working with the girls and are instrumental in planning activities for the troops.

Joyce Hockenberry, Sandra Balough’s assistant leader, said the Baloughs are knowledgeable about the Girl Scouts and never hesitate to get involved with any aspect of the organization.