Girl Scout Days and Traditions | Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania

Traditions give Girl Scouts a sense of history—and inspire them to be the best they can be.

Sharing traditions with millions of Girl Scouts—and the huge network of Girl Scout alumnae who came before them—helps remind girls they belong to a big, powerful sisterhood.

Learn more about Girl Scout Traditions.

World Thinking Day - February 22 toggle arrow

Every February 22 on World Thinking Day, Girl Scouts participate in activities and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries. Thinking Day not only gives girls a chance to celebrate international friendships, but also unites them to focus on one issue, or theme, to make the world a better place.

Check out GSUSA's site for some awesome activities by grade level for girls to earn their World Thinking Day award.
Download the World Thinking Day Activity Pack from the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
Find out how to give girls the gift of travel through the Juliette Gordon Low World Friendship Fund.
Find World Thinking Day resources on Pinterest.

Girl Scouts' birthday, Girl Scout Week, & Girl Scouts Celebrate Faith - Week of March 12 toggle arrow

Girl Scouts' birthday

Girl Scouting was founded on March 12, 1912, by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, GA. Juliette gathered 18 girls from her cousin’s school and broke the conventions of the time—reaching across class, cultural, and ethnic boundaries to ensure all girls, including those with so-called disabilities, had a place to grow and develop their leadership skills.

Celebrate Girl Scout birthday by collecting and assembling birthday bags for shelters, hospitals, senior living facilities, foster agencies, etc. Remember to always contact an organization to verify that they will be able to accept the donation. Share your story with us.
Check out our Pinterest Board for more ideas.

Girl Scout Week

Girl Scout Week is celebrated each March, starting with Girl Scout Sunday and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath on a Saturday, and it always includes Girl Scouts’ birthday, March 12. It is a time when we shout our Girl Scout pride from the rooftops!

Celebrate Girl Scout Week 2026 with our daily challenges below. Get all the details. Find the patches in our shops or place an order using our fun patch order form.

Girl Scouts Celebrate Faith

Girl Scout Week is also a time when many troops celebrate the connections between Girl Scouting and their faith, learn more about other faiths, and thank faith partners for their support throughout the year. Girls can join in the festivities on three specially designated dates (or a day of your choosing):

Girl Scout Sunday: Sunday, March 8, 2026
Girl Scout Jummah: Friday, March 13, 2026
Girl Scout Sabbath/Shabbat: Friday, March 13-Saturday, March 14, 2026

Whether they participate in a worship service, plan an activity before or after the service, or organize a service project, your girls can honor those meaningful connections in lots of ways! Check out these resources to help you plan, promote, and carry out your event with your faith partner.

Girl Scouts Celebrate Faith Flyers: Add your event details to these customizable flyers and ask your faith partner to share in their newsletter or bulletin.

Girl Scout Sunday (English | Spanish)
Girl Scout Jummah (English | Spanish)
Girl Scout Sabbath (English | Spanish)
Girl Scouts Celebrate Faith (English Full Page | English Half Page | Spanish)
Sample Service Ideas: Encourage your girls to play an active role in your house of worship’s service! Work with your faith partner to select the best options for your event. (English | Spanish)
Activities Tip Sheet: Try one of these activities before or after the worship service and during Girl Scout Week (check out the tips below for more!). As always, team up with your faith partner to find an option that works for everyone. (English | Spanish)
PowerPoint Inserts: Customize these sample PowerPoint slides and ask if your faith partner can include them in a worship service slide show to promote your event. (English | Spanish)
Sample Prayers: Share these sample Girl Scout-focused prayers and this sample speech with your faith partner. Please work with your faith partner to identify the best options for your event. (English | Spanish)
Graphics: Use these pre-made graphics on social media or in print to promote your event. (English and Spanish)
Iron-On Embroidered Patches: Make your Girl Scouts Celebrate Faith event something your troop won’t forget—with a patch! Patches can be ordered through our council shops and include Girl Scout Sunday, Girl Scout Jummah, Girl Scout Sabbath, and Girl Scout Shabbat. Call 800-248-3355 or use our shop order form to place your order.
Additional Event Resources
Bulletin Insert Copy (English | Spanish)
Email Copy (English | Spanish)
Website Copy (English | Spanish)
Thank You Copy (English | Spanish)

Tips for Planning a Memorable Event
Here are some tips for planning your event.

Work closely with your faith partner. Teaming up will help event planning and promotion go smoothly and deepen the connection between your troop and your faith partner.
Start early. Houses of worship will appreciate the extra time to incorporate your event into their worship schedule!
Include pre- and post-activities. Events before and after the worship service are a great way to share the benefits of Girl Scouting with faith families and give back to your faith partner. You might do a service project or host a cookie booth and/or cookies and punch reception after the service—check out the activities tip sheet for more ideas.
Promote your event. Spread the word through social media and neighborhood channels. Ask your faith partner to promote the event in their newsletters or bulletins.
Thank your faith partner after the event. Faith partners will appreciate a note of thanks after your event, especially one they can share with their community.

Learn more about Girl Scouts and faith.

Volunteer Appreciation - April & Leader's Day - April 22 toggle arrow

Volunteer Appreciation Month - April

This April, we want girls to celebrate their Girl Scout volunteers by showering them with gratitude and appreciation. Check out our printable thank-you card and coloring sheet for Girl Scouts to give to their volunteers.

And to all of our volunteers, you bring the power of Girl Scouting into girls’ lives and are the source of the Girl Scout experience. Thank you for your time, your work, and your unwavering commitment to creating girls of courage, confidence, and character. By teaching her to make the world a better place, you’re doing it, too. Happy Volunteer Appreciation Month. You’re amazing!

Leader's Day - April 22

Girl Scout Leader's Day, April 22, honors all the volunteers who work as leaders and mentors in partnership with girls. Girls, their families, and communities should find a special way to thank their adult Girl Scout volunteers. Find fun thank-you gift ideas for your Girl Scout leader on Pinterest.

Girl Scout Service Day - 4th Saturday in September toggle arrow

Our council celebrates Girl Scout Service Day on the 4th Saturday in September.

Girl Scouts of all ages can make an impact in a big way by coming together as a council to benefit our local communities across western Pennsylvania.

Wear your can-do attitude and your vest, sash, or tunic as you join our council on our annual Girl Scout Service Day. How do you participate? That's up to you! Take part in the community service project or activity of your choice.

Have photos to share of your Service Day project? Submit them through our Girl Scout Memory Book.

Founder's Day - October 31 toggle arrow

Juliette Gordon Low's Birthday, or Founder's Day, October 31, marks the 1860 birth of Girl Scouts of the USA founder Juliette Low in Savannah, Georgia. Juliette started the organization in 1912.

2026 Printable Girl Scout Calendar

To help you stay organized, we've created this printable calendar with important Girl Scout dates, as well as national holidays and observances.

Year at-a-glance calendar