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Girl Scout Stories
Cheryl's Story - S'more Magazine
When most people think of Girl Scouting they think of campfire sing-a-longs, sashes plastered with patches and cookies. To me, Girl Scouts has meant the world. I have been a Girl Scout since birth. My older sisters were Girl Scouts and my mother has been a devoted troop leader for as long as I can remember. I attended my sisters’ Girl Scout events until I was old enough to join my own troop. At the age of five, I became a member of Troop 628 with a Girl Scout sweatshirt and leggings to match and I have been a member ever since. Along the way, I have had some pretty amazing experiences, worn my fair share of sashes and eaten a good many cookies.
Girl Scouts has made me many things. Girl Scouts has made me a leader. I volunteer at the local Girl Scout camp every summer. I used to go as a camper and now I attend as a program aide. A couple of summers ago, I was given the hefty task of organizing the annual campfire. I had to plan and organize a night full of skits, songs, stories, games and snacks. I planned the proper amount of fire wood, marshmallows and seating. I had to settle the argument over which group of girls got to lead the camp in their favorite “beaver song.” I had to decide which girls were old enough to tend the fire and which girls were better suited to help with skits. I had to lead the campers in the friendship squeeze at the closing. The list of tasks was longer than what one might expect. When Wednesday night arrived, everything came together for a great evening of fun, laughter and friendship. As I crawled into my sleeping bag after putting out the final embers of the fire, I overheard a group of girls nestled in the neighboring tent say, “What a great campfire!” That night I feel asleep with a smile on my face.
Girl Scouts has made me a nurse. On one particular occasion my troop went to a roller skating rink for the afternoon. We had a great time until one of the girls, Alynda, fell and broke her wrist. Our group of Girl Scouts quickly set to work fashioning a splint from a cardboard box, some duct tape and ice all borrowed from the snack bar. The first aid badge definitely came in handy.
Girl Scouts has made me a salesperson. I remember standing outside of Lowe’s Hardware at the crack of dawn on a frigid Saturday morning in February dressed in a Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie costume convincing local patrons to purchase a third box of Tagalongs. The prize for the top seller was usually a shower radio or beach towel, and I earned every cent of it…
Girl Scouts has made me a cook. After thirteen years worth of Girl Scout cook outs, one learns how to be creative when cooking on the outdoors. I remember crouching over a modest pile of sticks blocking the wind with my back attempting to light a fire with a soaking wet match in the freezing cold. These types of experiences build character and stiff knees. As a weathered Girl Scout, I can now make fettuccini Alfredo over a one-match log cabin-style fire in the wilderness.
Girl Scouts has made me a traveler. Two summers ago, I had the fantastic opportunity to travel around England with a group of Girl Scouts. Nobody in the group of girls knew each other. We had each been selected from different states after a lengthy selection process. We learned what it was like to travel outside of the country without our parents among a group of strangers. We shared some amazing experiences such as visiting Stonehenge, straddling the Prime Meridian, climbing the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral and camping on Brown Sea Island, the birthplace of scouting. We gained knowledge, experience, and great friendship. We learned how to navigate through the airport, make Bangers and Mash over a camp stove and to “mind the gap” while boarding the Underground.
Girl Scouts has made me a team player. This past summer, I went on a Girl Scout kayaking trip on Lake Superior. After paddling through a nasty thunderstorm, the lake spit us out onto the sandy beaches of Stockton Island. It took great team work o set up our tent in the torrential down pour before dark. I can remember teenage girls dressed in bright yellow ponchos squelching through the mud carrying bags with tens tans stakes as rain drops slapped their faces. We fit together tent poles and stashes our gear inside the tent as fast as clock work. We spent the night listening to the storm as we lay huddled in our sopping wet sleeping bags. The next day we opened our tent flap to blue skies and a vivid rainbow. Our socks may have been wet for several days, but we learned that as a team we could weather any storm.
Girl Scouts has mad me a volunteer. Girl Scout provides a myriad of community service opportunities for girls of all ages. I have decorated the Christmas tree at the local Veteran’s home with handmade ornaments made out of Popsicle sticks and glitter. I earned my bronze award by embroidering baby blankets for the Linus Project. I earned my silver award by renovating the dining room of the local Rescue Mission. This past summer I earned my gold award by constructing a raised garden bed for the Presbyterian nursing home in my town. Community service has been my favorite aspect of Girl Scouts because by helping others I learned a lot about myself. Besides, volunteering does not require sleeping outside or cooking over a fire.
As I continue on to college, I will no longer attend troop meetings, lead a sing-a-long or sell Girl Scout Cookies. I plan to carry skills I have learned from Girl Scouts with me to college and wherever else life takes me. Girl Scouts has taught me how to be a leader, a team player, a volunteer and a friend. College will provide a place for me to play those roles. Girl Scouts truly is the place, “were girls grow strong.”
