Gloucester Township Girl Scout Wants to Save American Jobs

Rebecca Conn is a 16-year old Girl Scout who wants to save American jobs.

She believes buying American is the way to do it.  She is planning a Buy American Expo, an event that will showcase vendors who sell goods proudly made in America. The event will be November 16 at Saint Charles Borromeo Church at Johnson and Stagecoach roads in Washington Township, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

“People tell me they’d love to buy American, but simply can’t find anything. This expo will solve that problem just in time for the holidays,” Rebecca  stated.  In addition to the vendors, the event will also feature educational exhibits, entertainment  and children’s crafts. 

Rebecca  is an ambassador-level Girl Scout working on her Gold Award project.  The Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, is an 80-hour service project meant to make a world impact. 

“My project is educating, raising awareness and promoting buying American,” she says.

Nearly 60 percent of everything we buy is made overseas.  There is no doubt this has negatively impacted the economy. If each American spent an extra $3.33 a year on USA-made goods, it would create 10,000 new jobs in this country according to Moody Analytics.

Rebecca has a “Proudly Made in the USA” website and Facebook page. She’s shared her message with hundreds of local residents at her booths at  Washington Township’s Super Saturday and Gloucester Township Day.

Creating jobs isn’t her only concern.   “Many countries allow unsafe working conditions and low wages,” Rebecca explains.  “They don’t have to follow America’s child labor and environmental laws. Buying American helps more than just economically. ”