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Girl Scout Days & Traditions

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


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.

Girl Scout birthday & Girl Scout Week - March 12

Girl Scout 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, hopitals, senior living facilities, foster agencies, etc. Remember to always contact an organization to verify that they will be able to accept the donation. 

Girl Scouts Celebrate Faith

Girl Scouts Celebrates Faith gives girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as a Girl Scout. Girls and volunteers may perform a service, such as greeting, ushering, or doing a flag ceremony. These days can also be a time when girls explore other faiths.

  • Girl Scout Sunday (Christian)—Sunday, March 8, 2020
  • Girl Scout Jummah (Muslim)—Friday, March 13, 2020
  • Girl Scout Sabbath/Shabbat (Jewish)—Friday/Saturday, March 13–14, 2020

Help share Girl Scouting through your faith with new resources for Christian, Muslim, and Jewish Girl Scouts. 

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

Volunteer Appreciation Month - April

This April, we want girls to celebrate their Girl Scout volunteers by showering them with gratitude and appreciation. All month long, show your favorite Girl Scout volunteer how much they mean to you with a straight-from-the-heart, personalized ecard. Girls can also use these new printable thank you cards for older and younger girls.

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 create 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.

GSWPA Spirit Celebration - September

Let's celebrate our Girl Scout Spirit! We love being Girl Scouts, and we’re proud, too! Share it with the world around you by participating in the GSWPA Girl Scout Spirit Celebration from Sept. 1-30. Similar to the Get Outdoors Challenge, the GSWPA Spirit Celebration checklist is filled with activities that let your Girl Scout spirit shine! Complete at least 10 items to earn the Girl Scout Spirit patch.

Snap photos as you complete activities, and when you share them with us using the form below, you could be one of 20 Girl Scouts to receive the BONUS Patch of the Month—the Girl Scout Spirit patch—for FREE!

GSWPA Spirit Celebration checklist: Complete 10 items on this GSWPA Spirit Celebration checklist to earn your Girl Scout Spirit patch!

Troop Invite Slips: Ask your troop leader if you can invite a friend to your troop meeting. Then, print these slips and hand them out with a frienship bracelet or SWAP.

Thank You Flyer: Use this printable, fillable PDF to create a thank you note for local businesses or organizations that support your higher award projects, your troop, or your service unit. Consider adding your own photo on the top for an extra personal touch!

Enter to win your Girl Scout Spirit patch!

Fill out my online form.
GSWPA Service Day - September 21

Mark your calendars—GSWPA Service Day, September 21! 

As part of our month-long Girl Scout spirit celebration in September, Saturday, September 21 will be GSWPA Service Day. 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. Plan a project with your troop, friends, and family; gather needed supplies; and share your plans with us!

>> Check out some ideas for your project

Founder's Day - October 31


 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.


 

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2020 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 >