For being role models contributing to the character and support of girls, the Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons Council on Tuesday, May 19, will recognize five women and six girls as Women and Girls of Distinction.

Linda Rabe, Rapid City Chamber of Commerce president and 2008 Woman of Distinction, will welcome fellow honorees at the 7 a.m. breakfast program at the Rapid City Elks Lodge. Tickets were sold in advance for the fundraiser.

Eileen Fleishacker, membership specialist of the Girl Scouts' council, said this year's honorees have a diverse background of careers, ages and circumstances.

"They have made strides and distinctions in their lives and are the role models that we want our girls to emulate," Fleishacker said.

The John T. Vucurevich Foundation has earned the organization's 2009 Friend of Distinction.

The 2009 Juliette Gordon Low Legacy Award goes to Diane Labor. The honor, named after the woman who founded Girl Scouts in 1912, recognizes the dedication and work of a Rapid City woman who was a Girl Scout, a leader and who has made a significant contribution to Girl Scouts in the Black Hills, Fleishacker said.

"Diane Labor of Rapid city, a retired elementary teacher, has made a difference in scouting," Fleishacker said. "She actually started a camp for handicapped kids called 'Camp Friendship.'"

Also honored are the girls from Girl Scouts, who represent girls from ages 5 to 18.

"It's amazing what some of these girls have accomplished," leishacker said.

2009 Women of Distinction

Elsie Meeks

For more than 20 years, Meeks has focused on creating opportunities for Native Americans and their families to improve their economic situation and establish an environment of self-sufficiency. She has served as the executive director of the Lakota Fund on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and more recently as the president and chief executive officer of First Nations Oweesta Corp., a national Native community economic-development fund. In February, she was nominated by Sen. Tim Johnson to become South Dakota's USDA director of Rural Development. She has achieved two other rare honors: In 1994, she was named one of MS Magazine's "Women of the Year," and in 1998, she was selected as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor. An Oglala Lakota, she is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and lives on a ranch near Kyle with her husband, Jim.

The Rev. Jeri Burns

Hospital Chaplain Burns began her journey as a Girl Scout in Fremont, Neb., where she earned the God and Country Award and delivered altar flowers from the United Methodist Church to the hospital and nursing home. Starting at the North American Baptist seminary in 1998, she was immediately drawn to chaplaincy, and upon graduation was ordained by the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church. She served in the chaplaincy program at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls and joined the staff at Rapid City Regional Hospital in the fall of 2006, becoming its first chaplain certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains. She has supported the growth of the hospital's chaplain program by bringing a clinical education program to Rapid City. She has two grown sons.

Jeanne Burckhard

Burckhard has resigned as principal at North Middle School to continue her education and pursue a doctorate. She attended Rapid City Area Schools and returned as a teacher and administrator, where she has served for more than 20 years. Her concern for the students she serves has made North Middle School a place of hope and progress. Committed to the fight against bullying, poverty and discrimination, she has initiated many programs that have impacted her students positively. When she realized that many of her students were in need of clothing, she opened the Eagle Store, where students can buy used clothing with earned Eagle Bucks. She asked the community to donate basic hygiene products. Recently, she launched the backpack program, which allows students to come in on Friday afternoons and fill a backpack with enough food to help them and their siblings make it through the weekend. She is the mother of one daughter.

Lisa Sissenstein

Sissenstein creates and sells advertising for New Rushmore Radio. In her spare time, she has become active in a variety of community organizations. A recent graduate of Leadership Rapid City, she has received the Lynn Smith Award for her efforts to reduce tobacco use in South Dakota. She is current chairwoman of Community Connections, the group that brought 211 phone service to the Black Hills area. She also is a member of the Rapid City Downtown Association, has helped organize the St. Patrick's Day Parade and was on the committee that brought the Festival of Presidents to Rapid City. She is a member of the Dakota Thunder Committee, supporting Ellsworth Air Force Base. A former Brownie, Girl Scout and Girl Scout co-leader, Sissenstein has a grown daughter.

Barbara Cline

Cline is the executive director of Prairie Hills Transit. Starting in 1989, with one van that transported senior citizens to the Hickory House for a noon meal, the program has expanded to 29 vehicles covering 12,000 square miles in six counties. Prairie Hills Transit now serves people of all ages: children who need transportation between home, school and day care; workers commuting to a neighboring town; seniors who need help getting to medical appointments; and those with mobility challenges. In addition, Cline serves as the director of the senior nutrition programs in Spearfish and Sturgis. Her experience and success in rural transportation in the Northern Hills has given her a role in regional and national rural transportation issues, where she has lent her expertise to many organizations.

2009 Girls of Distinction

Leisette Fuchs, Daisy Troop No. 74562

The Daisy Girl of Distinction is Leisette Fuchs. A Zion Lutheran School first-grader, Leisette juggles her Daisy scouting activities with violin, horseback riding, swimming and ballet lessons. At age 6, she wrote and illustrated a book called "Me and Daddy on the Farm," for the Reading Rainbow Contest. Leisette donated her hair to "Locks of Love" and is dedicated to growing it out again so she can make another donation. Leisette is busy finishing her Daisy projects so she can bridge to Brownies with the other girls in her troop.

Elissa Gruszynski, Brownie Troop No. 71402

A Hill City Elementary School second-grader, Elissa is active in AWANA, gymnastics, ballet, soccer and baseball. She is a straight-A student who wrote and illustrated a story for the Reading Rainbow contest, has been the top seller in the fall nut sale and the cookie sale for two consecutive years and has raised hundreds of dollars for Jump Rope for Heart for the past two years.

Cheyenne Pinney, Junior Troop No. 75257

The 2009 Junior Girl of Distinction, Cheyenne Pinney, is a fourth-grader at Philip Elementary School. She plays soccer and volleyball and loves to ride her horse and spoil her dog. As the daughter of a scout staffer, she has had many opportunities to be helpful at service unit meetings in other towns. At last year's annual meeting, when the need arose for girls to be color guards, Cheyenne volunteered, although she had no previous experience. She has since helped with other flag ceremonies.

Alisha Williamson, Cadette Troop No. 72603

Cadette Girl of Distinction Alisha Williamson is a Spearfish Middle School seventh-grader. Having earned her Bronze Award as a Junior, she is one of seven girls working toward her Silver Award. Alisha's volunteer work with Lawrence County Teen Court is part of that process. She has reached the cookie super-seller level for the past six years. She earned the Junior Leadership badge and helps at her troop, her sister's troop and council events and programs. Alisha participates in volleyball and choir and has been selected as a junior volunteer for the D.C. Booth Hatchery's summer program for three consecutive years.

Grace Winchester, Senior Troop No. 72841

The Senior Girl of Distinction is Grace Winchester, a Rapid City Stevens High School ninth-grader. Grace earned her Bronze Award by volunteering at Western Hills Humane Society in Spearfish. She will complete her work for her Silver Award in June. She has a number of volunteer experiences to her credit. The Cornerstone Mission, Mommy's Closet, WAVI, Black Hawk Elementary School, Dakota Middle School, the Humane Society of the Black Hills and Rushmore Birds have all benefited from Grace's willingness to give of her time and talents.

Amanda Sheldon

Amanda Sheldon, the 2009 Ambassador Girl of Distinction, is a Rapid City Central High School graduating senior. Amanda has been a Girl Scout for 12 years, beginning as a Daisy. She has participated in many service projects, earned many badges and patches and has been a top performer in cookie sales. Amanda has participated in CEO University, FROGS (Fun, Rocking Older Girl Scouts) and her school activities include band and choir. She has participated in several competitions, winning awards and recognition. Amanda has played soccer and helped on several work projects for the U.S. Forest Service. In addition to having held paid jobs since the age of 14, she currently volunteers at the child care center at the YMCA and has volunteered at the SW District Office.

Dianne Labor, Juliette Gordon Low Legacy Award

Labor has been an active member of the Girl Scout organization for more than 50 years. She has served in a variety of capacities, including leader, trainer, council board member and council president and is currently a Lifetime Member. Labor was instrumental in the development of Camp Friendship, a camp for youths and adults with disabilities. She was camp director for 10 years, during which she earned recognition by the Governor's Office of Volunteerism as a "Volunteer of the Year." A teacher in the Rapid City school district for 35 years, she retired in 2001 - and is reportedly busier than ever. She has been a member of the Rapid City Does Drove No. 33 for 46 years and in June 2007, was elected Supreme President of the Benevolent Patriotic Order of Does. She spent 2008 traveling throughout the United States, visiting with members promoting the organization. Nominators said she is an example of what the Girl Scouts council wants girls to get from their Girl Scout experience.