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Monday, October 2, 2017

Girl Scouts: A Family Tradition

Girl Scouts logo: www.girlscouts.org
Yesterday, I was privileged to attend my granddaughter’s rededication to Girls Scouts. What memories that ceremony brought back! Thirty-six years ago, my first grader came home from school so excited. Please, Mom. Can I be a Brownie? Thus began our family’s involvement in the Girl Scouts of the USA.

Because I grew up in a rural area, I didn’t have the Girl Scout experience as a child. Though I knew little about the organization, if my daughter wanted to join, of course I let her. She went from that initial excitement to “do I have to stay in Girl Scouts?” in eighth grade to achieving her Girl Scout Gold Award (the highest honor a girl can earn) to becoming a volunteer trainer of Girl Scout leaders to a troop leader and service unit manager. Five years ago, her daughter became a Daisy Girl Scout. Now she’s a Junior.

I went along a similar volunteer route—leader, trainer, service unit manager. In gradual steps, my life was enriched by my time in Girl Scouts. I even learned I could organize an event for 200+ girls and adults. The trainer part came fairly easy. You can take a teacher out of the classroom . . . LOL I enjoyed sharing my experiences with new leaders. But my favorite activity was working with the girls. Now I see this in my daughter as she shares her love of Girl Scouting with her daughter and the other girls in her troop.

Next weekend, daughter and granddaughter will attend G.I.R.L. 2017, a gathering of thousands of Girl Scout girls and adults in Columbus, Ohio. What an array of speakers they will hear—including Barbara Pierce Bush, Chelsea Clinton, Gabby Douglas. They’ll hear from speakers “who have pursued their passions, created innovative solutions to problems, built the courage to navigate through obstacles, and developed the resources to lead in their everyday lives.” What an experience they will have.

The acronym G.I.R.L. stands for Go-getter, Initiator, Risk-taker, Leader. That’s what Girl Scouts taught me, what I wanted for my daughter, and now for my granddaughter. Girl Scouts has changed a lot since 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low organized the first troop. Girls have changed a lot since then. Girl Scout troops are not sponsored by schools or churches. The girls earn the money to pay for their activities by selling cookies, an activity that teaches them goal setting and money management. They still go camping and learn about the environment and how to protect it. Fun activities for all ages gives the girls STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) experiences.

Though I am a lifetime Girl Scout, I left active volunteering several years ago. I am so proud that my daughter continued in this organization that taught me so much self-esteem and confidence. And that she is passing on her love of Girl Scouting to her daughter.





23 comments:

  1. I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid. I'm pretty sure I made it to Juniors. And boy, did I hate those camping trips. The rest was fun, though.

    Glad your girls love it!

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    1. I wasn't crazy about tent camping and pit toilets. But things have changed (as girls have). Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. What wonderful memories for you. I was never in girl scouts, but I did buy a lot of cookies through the years...

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    1. LOL, Connie. I am such a sucker for cookies. Even though I buy from g'daughter, I'll still buy a box from the girls in front of grocery stores.

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  3. Though my daughter was a girl scout for a while, my involvement was with Boy Scouts. I was a den leader for a few years and had a blast with my son and his friends.

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    1. I didn't want to take attention away from my girls, but our son was in Boy Scouts. That will be good for another post. :) I'm glad you enjoyed your time with the Cub Scouts.

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  4. Girl Scouts is a great organiziation.

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    1. Thanks, Cara. It taught me so much as an adult. I can imagine what a difference it would've made had I been one as a girl.

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  5. And the tradition continues. How wonderful for you. Must be you set a great example for your daughter and granddaughter. Way to go.

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  6. It is such a great organization! I was a Girl Scout, and my girls were as well. They teach such wonderful values.

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    1. How great you & your girls were Girl Scouts. They do teach great values and help the girls be independent, how to make decisions.

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  7. It's wonderful that y'all are sharing this experience. Y'all's servants hearts is inspiring!

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    1. Thanks, Kara. Yesterday's ceremony brought back so many great memories.

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  8. I remember those days...
    My granddaughter is in dance and Beta club...no GS
    Good luck and God's blessings
    PamT

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    1. I hope she loves what she's doing and is having fun. To me, that's really important.

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  9. I'm a strong believer in Girl and Boy Scouts. Wonderful that your family is so involved.

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  10. I was a Girl Scout until about 6th or 7th grade and boy do I have some memories of overnight camping at Camps Nomoco and Sacajawea (NJ)! :-) G.I.R.L. sounds like a fantastic event. wishing your daughter and granddaughter a wonderful weekend.

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    1. We had a Camp Sacajawea in Missouri, too. Day camp! A group I worked with put on a play about Sacajawea and Lewis & Clark. I'd forgotten all about that until your comment. Thanks, Leah.

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  11. Girl Scouts is a tradition in my family, too. I participated until high school and my daughter did as well. Now her two daughters are involved with scouting and loving it! Thanks for a great post.

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    1. How wonderful, Susan. I'm enjoying granddaughter's experiences vicariously. It's great.

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  12. I hate to say that I was never involved in Girl Scouts and I didn't get my daughters involved. I'm not sure why, I know it's a wonderful organization. I was in the Brownies when I was small, I just never continued. Great post! I love how passionate you are.

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