Did you know our founder Brooke Leanne Buzuma was a Girl Scout? Read her story below and how she turned selling cookies into a marijuana advocacy career:
"Excuse the blurry photos but these are from disposable cameras! Back in first grade, my mom asked me if I wanted to join the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council troop in Moneta. After realizing it was similar to Boy Scouts, I jumped in, wholeheartedly, and learned what community, compassion, and service meant. Honestly, those words didn't fully click at the time, but as the Girl Scouts years rolled by, they shaped me into this chill, caring person who's all about helping others.
Through school, I kept that vibe alive—dabbling in artwork that shed light on social issues, volunteering with the Kiwanis and Lions Club and out at the Moneta library after school, and diving into extracurriculars that helped students grow—physically, personally, and professionally. Thankfully, I was able to do this all up to my high School graduation with the same Girl Scout troop!
Fast forward to last year, and those lessons became the groundwork for my next move. I bounced back to Moneta in 2023 and kicked off Barely Open Pharmaceuticals LLC. It's not just about spreading the word on alternative medicine; we're on a mission to hook up local farmers, skilled and unskilled workers with jobs and throw some grants at folks who dig our sustainable vibe and empower our children. It's not just relief we're after; we're aiming for that tight-knit unity and support vibe in the community I call home.
In the same fields where I used to score merit badges, I'm now into a different kind of growth—dishing out warmth, healing, and a hand to those who need it. Trying to keep that Girl Scouts spirit alive with a solid commitment to community service, hoping to leave a legacy that's way more than just selling cookies."