Milwaukee gets state's first Build-A-Bear Workshop inside Girl Scout Center
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Girl Scouts have been around for over 100 years with the goal of discovering fun, friendship, and the power of girls. In Wisconsin, they just got a bear-y exciting addition: the state's first Build-A-Bear workshop inside a Girl Scout center. It's located inside the Marion Chester Read Service and Resource Center located at 131 S. 69th St., Milwaukee.
Build-A-Bear has more than 600 stores globally, with the Milwaukee workshop as their newest addition. "Working upstairs, I've been hearing the girls come in and create their own bears and have this fun experience," shared Emily Roethle, Director of Marketing & Communications for Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast.
The workshop just opened in September, fulfilling the organization's goals, said Roethle, "one of the things we love at Girl Scouts is to let girls really explore and discover and do things on their own. So, they can choose their own bear, choose their own outfit. They choose their own name for their bear, which gives them a chance to explore their creativity and have that fun experience with their friends; that’s another bonding moment we’re facilitating."
"When I built my first Build-A-Bear with Girl Scouts, I had a really fun time building with friends, so I think this could build relationships with other Girl Scouts to have fun with their friends!" shared 10-year-old Marcelina, who's been a Girl Scout for six years.
The workshop is inside the Center's store where, alongside a "Build a Buddy" patch, Marcelina is deserving of the "Finding My Voice" patch with her troop. She said, "I really wanted to start making friends because I was really shy. So, my mom found a program of Girl Scouts, and I joined, and I really thought I fit in. People have been hearing my voice, and I've had a really fun time since."
With every bear built, Roethle said part of it comes back to the council, helping to fund "everything from programming to our camp properties to bring more opportunities to girls all across Southeast Wisconsin."
As the store is open to the community, Roethle hopes to build up young women and fun memories too. After Marcelina picked her bear and it was stuffed, the staff member went through a ceremony, handing Marcelina a small stuffed heart that will be placed inside the bear, saying: "I want you to rub your [bear's] heart between your hands. And remember all of your Girl Scout friends. Then I want you to rub it on your head for all of your incredible Girl Scout memories. And rub your feet, which is kind of a funny one, to remember all of the trails we have passed with our pals. We’re going to rub it on your muscles because we’re strong in everything we do. Then we’re going to put it on our tummy because we eat lots of Girl Scout cookies. Then we’re going to give it a hug, so it always knows you are a friend." The heart was then placed inside the bear and stitched up, given a birth certificate to go home with. There are outfits for each bear that could be made to match with your Girl Scout.
In the Fall, group bookings and birthday parties will be able to be hosted at the workshop. To learn more, click here.