A Whirl Wind! - Heather P.'s story

Why Girl Scouts?

Why not?

Girl Scouts has given so much to me and my family over the years it amazes me. From my own years as a girl selling cookies to now, as a mom of a Cadette and a leader. I have made great friends and watched some amazing young girls, like my daughter, grow from little Daisies to these independent, young women.

I have the joy of being in a troop that is in its twelfth year and takes any age of Girl Scout. I was transformed from just a volunteer wanting to help to a leader just three years ago!

Getting to watch these girls grow has been amazing. Those who have been super shy suddenly start finding their voice and lead a meeting. Those who start off wanting to earn badges learn the real fun is helping the younger girls with their skills. I love seeing our shy girls become the giggly girls to the ones leading the meetings. I love seeing our older girls squeal and be just as involved as the younger levels. Our troop would have almost all been in khaki vests this year but we were called to see if we would be open to taking in younger girls again. It was a resounding "YES" from the troop.

Seeing these girls support each other and learn from each other is just a privilege to see. Our troop and a sister troop just went ice skating. The biggest takeaway was watching 20 Girl Scouts out on the ice and the rule seemed to be to let no one fall alone. The girls encouraged those afraid and even my own Cadette daughter, Kyren, pretended to fall several times to make our new Daisy comfortable on the ice. These two troops were able to skate together and knew how to make the most of it for all ages.

So why Girl Scouts? What other organization can take a group of young girls and help them explore, learn, support, and find their passions into adulthood, and beyond? Girl Scouts allows the freedom for the girls to try new things, gain real-world experiences, and have the confidence to apply their skills.

Why Girl Scouts? Instead, I ask, why not?