Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Cindy Miller of Denver in the Metro Denver region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community.
GSCO asked Cindy to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did.
Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer?
I am passionate about women in leadership and have always been active in women’s leadership organizations. Girl Scouts provides the most amazing leadership development programs for girls. The broad membership of Girl Scouts means that we impact so many girls as an organization. As a volunteer, I get to impact the organization as a whole and also individual girls, which I love.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
I am a Gold Award mentor and committee member. I mentor up to five girls at a time. I serve on the GSCO Board of Directors and as a Committee Chair, and I volunteer to support events around the state whenever or wherever I can. I help with the 99’s Aviation Patch Day each year (I’m also a member of the 99’s), and I love working at a cookie distribution site each year.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
That our future is a good one because there are so many smart, engaged young women in Girl Scouts, who are already making an impact on the world. I can’t wait to see what they do next. I’ve also learned that there are so many dedicated volunteers, who do so much for Girl Scouts. I am humbled by the time and energy that so many of them invest.
What do you hope girls have learned from you?
I hope that girls learn to approach challenges as opportunities to learn, that solving a problem is rewarding, and that learning new things is always exciting even if you don’t think you will “use” that skill or information again. I learn a great deal from girls (and other volunteers) – especially the highest awards girls. The problems they see in the community and the world, and how they go about making an impact, inspires me.
How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
I think I was already a G.I.R.L. I just didn’t have that acronym to describe it. Volunteering with Girl Scouts, however, has given me the opportunity to apply my leadership skills in new ways. Being around other G.I.R.L.s, I have learned to see and think about problems in new ways (innovator).
Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org.