 Last year, a young lady named Kelly, came to me and told me that she was working on her "Gold Award”, which is the Girl Scout equivalent of the Eagle Scout Award. Her Mom is the leader of her troop and they asked me if they could come brainstorm with me about how she could make a detailed plan of action to achieve this special award. That's the first time a volunteer ever said that to me. I have this whole orientation I made up for most young people doing community service, but Kelly was clearly different. She didn't want to just call bingo and get hours in quickly, she wanted to make a difference and I wanted to help her to make that happen.
My Mom was my Girl Scout leader and I was a Girl Scout from Brownies to Juniors. I wanted her to do this. As we were speaking, I had an idea. First off, through the years, there were a few sessions I talked to the residents about the girl scouts and I have a few times called an activity a Girl Scout Troop when we did facials or something feminine, and even though it was all in jest, I always had an idea to possibly make this happen. It was something I just never got to. Years ago, I taught a class called "Girls just Wanna Have Fun" that I made up at the Y. I put it in the brochure and ended up having a G.J.W.H.F. Class every day for a number of years. The classes were filling up like hot cakes! It was my very own version of a group of little girls having fun and bonding together. I taught them how to make jewelry and dollhouses and perfume and it was a very special time in my life.
When Kelly came to me, I thought about my old class, about how my purpose is to make the residents feel young and rockin' and then it hit me! Let's have a Rockin' Senior Girl Scout Troop! What an awesome idea! Kelly went through all the steps of having an action plan and agendas for meetings and submitted it to the Girl Scouts of America Board, got approval and now we have regular meetings. The residents even have sashes she created and made! So far, we've had a fashion show by the younger girls where they modeled all the uniforms throughout history and also readings by the Brownies to the residents. The residents have been practicing the promise and the Girl Scout friendship song
Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold.
A circle's round, it never ends.
That's how long I want to be your friend.
They are now working on their music badge and the newspaper may be doing a story about the first official Rockin' Senior Girl Scout Troop in the World! I am very proud of this young lady. The residents love the program and I urge you to reach out to your local Girl Scout Chapter. You never know if there's a young lady waiting to make a difference for the residents at your facility. I know Kelly did!
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GINGER'S CREATIVE COSTUMES AND ACTIVITIES