Girl Scouts throughout Wyoming and Montana will now have more opportunities and better funding thanks to a regional merger, according to Jamie Demmitt, director of marketing for Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming.

"It better equips the council as whole to meet the needs of the girls," Demmitt said.

On May 1, two Montana councils - Big Sky Council and Treasure Trails Council - merged with the Girl Scouts of Wyoming Council to form the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming.

Demmitt said this merger will not only make more funding available from local and national sources, but will also provide more opportunities for girls from both states. Wyoming Girl Scouts will now be able to attend camps in Montana, which has not previously been permitted. Montana Girl Scouts will also be allowed to attend camps in Wyoming.

Demmitt said the merge will not affect local Girl Scout organizations or programs. Girls will still be placed into troops within their cities and will meet normally.

Sally Leep will be the new CEO for the region. She lives in Billings, Mont., home to the new headquarters.

Over the past four years, the Girl Scouts of the USA. has made a national initiative to merge councils throughout the country. The organization is focusing on restructuring vital aspects such as funding, volunteerism, leadership, and even its governance.

On the Web

For more info on Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, go to www.gsmw.org. For more about the national revisions, check out www.girlscouts.org/strategy.

Reach Riane Menardi at (307) 266-0610 or riane.menardi@trib.com