It’s been said it takes a village to raise a child and on Thursday, March 16, 2017, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana honored three leaders of that village and the impact they’ve had on young women.

This year’s Tribute to Achievement honorees were: Luminary Award: Cheryl Burton, anchor at ABC7; ToGetHerThere Award: Carole Segal, co-founder of Crate and Barrel; Corporate Appreciation Award: Deloitte, accepted by Carl Allegretti, Chicago managing partner.

The council’s premier fundraising dinner, which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, raised more than $650,000 in support of programming that prepares girls to be go-getters, innovators, risk-takers and leaders.

According to the latest State of the Girls report from the Girl Scout Research Institute, more girls are living in poverty today than they were 10 years ago and girls from low-socioeconomic backgrounds face considerable challenges that affect their health, happiness and achievement.

“For girls, growing up has never been more complicated. But there is a silver lining,” said Nancy Wright, CEO of GSGCNWI. “Research shows that girls thrive in places where their academic achievement is supported by activities such as Girl Scouts, which enhances their learning and skill development.”

During the event, select Girl Scouts shared testimonials about how the organization has improved their confidence, exposed them to a variety of leadership and educational opportunities and inspired them to give back to others.

“Through my involvement as a girl representative on the Girl Scout Board of Directors, as well as a myriad of other experiences I have had as a Girl Scout, I know that my voice matters,” said Aleena Ismail, a 17-year-old Girl Scout Ambassador, at the opening of the event. “My actions matter. I know that even one person can make a difference.”

To view event highlights and learn more about how you can get involved in Girl Scouting, visit girlscoutsgcnwi.org.