By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

SPRINGDALE - A controversy surrounding a Girl Scout council in Texas is drawing new interest to a faith-based organization for girls that was created in Greater Cincinnati nearly a decade ago.

A Brownie troop leader in Crawford, Texas, recently decided to disband her Girl Scout troop and start an outfit affiliated with the American Heritage Girls, a group formed in 1995 by a handful of West Chester Township parents.

"I was brainstorming about how to go about starting my own scouting organization," said Donna Coody, leader of the disbanded Troop 7087. Coody decided to pull out of the Girl Scouts after learning the area council in Texas endorsed a sex education class with what she calls "pornographic" materials. "We were praying about it, and I knew we needed to do something."

The controversy began to unfold in February when a local anti-abortion activist started running ads on Christian radio stations urging people to boycott Girl Scout cookies because of the Texas Bluebonnet Council's relationship with Planned Parenthood. Coody became concerned after learning that the council also recommended a sex education class by Planned Parenthood that included graphic materials.

Since the controversy began, American Heritage Girls, which has its offices in Springdale, has been receiving about 50 phone calls a day asking for information.

"This is not an isolated incident," said Patti Garibay, the founder and executive director of American Heritage Girls.

Garibay was a leader for two troops, recruiter of troop leaders and a day camp director for the Girl Scouts. Then in 1993, she was concerned about changes in the Girl Scout promise and what she calls "moral relativism" in the handbook.

She started the non-denominational Christian American Heritage Girls, and the organization now has 3,000 girls in 95 troops in 22 states; 60 of the troops are in Greater Cincinnati. The group grew 45 percent last year and expects to get even bigger this year, Garibay said.

"I've never encouraged boycotting cookies or anything like that," she said. "I just want to make it so parents can be aware of what's going on and make the best decision for their children."

Locally, the Three Rivers Council of the Girl Scouts, which serves 23,500 scouts in nine counties in southwest Ohio and southeast Indiana, has no affiliation with Planned Parenthood. The organization leaves sex education up to individual troops' discretion, said Melissa Wisby, communications director for the council.

For local troop leader Patti Diersing, the decision to leave Girl Scouts and join American Heritage Girls was because of more emphasis on service and patriotism.

"As soon as I heard about them, I looked into it and I loved the program," said Diersing, of Troop OH802 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Delhi Township.

For more information

For more information about American Heritage Girls, visit www.ahgonline.org