Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Jen Vaughn of Fountain in the Pikes Peak region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community.
GSCO asked Jen 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 became a volunteer because my daughter asked me to join Girl Scouts with her. She heard about it from friends at school, but didn’t want to join alone. I am so glad that she did, because I think I have had more fun than she did, and I have stayed around through all four of my daughters now.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
I am currently a Girl Scout leader for a Junior/Cadette troop, as well as the service unit leader for Ft. Carson Service Unit 417.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
I have learned that there is always something new to learn, and always multiple ways to get something done. I have also learned that friends you make through Girl Scouts are forever friends. A lot like GORP, there are a lot of different kinds of people in the world, and once you mix them all together you learn things about yourself that you never knew.
What do you hope girls have learned from you?
I hope that they have learned that you can be yourself, and will never be judged. I hope that my girls have learned that we learn things together and I will never expect anything out of them that I will not try myself. They have taught me better ways of doing many things, and if we didn’t work together, we would never learn as much.
How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
I think that Girl Scouting has given me a voice that I didn’t know was in there before. I have learned things that I would not have necessarily tried before, and loved them. I have pushed myself to be a better person so that my girls can know that I believe in them and that they can be anything they want to be. I have realized that without risks we would never get to our full potential.
Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org.
The nomination deadline for 2020 Volunteer Recognition Awards is April 30. GSCO invites members statewide to take this opportunity to recognize an outstanding volunteer by nominating them for a Volunteer Recognition Award. Nominators are responsible for ensuring enough endorsements are submitted to support their nomination of a volunteer for an award. Your volunteer support specialist can check nomination and endorsement submissions for you. Learn more.