Submitted by Penny Roberts
Northern & Northeastern CO
Estes Park
Calling all Girl Scout alums! It’s gorgeous in the fall in Colorado, and this is a great time to “pick up our toys” and get back to more direct involvement with a variety of activities, groups, and events available to all adults age 18 and older.
The following is a list of many different ways you and your family can express your support of Girl Scouts of Colorado in general and your own personal interests in particular. If you have seen or heard of these items before, let this serve as a reminder. They are listed in no particular order of importance. Please contact me for further information on any of the following listings.
Girl Scout License Plates
In 2012, GSCO had a taskforce that created a Girl Scout license plate in time for the 100th birthday of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). The procedure took almost three years to complete, involving obtaining more than 3,000 signatures, getting the legislation drafted and through the Colorado government processes, and then watching the production of the first run of plates at the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility in Canon City. These license plates are available for most any vehicle and provide ongoing awareness of how long-lasting and visible Girl Scouts are in our communities. The cost is an extra one-time fee of $50, and plates can be purchased at any county clerk’s office in the state.
Songbirds Girl Scout Choir
Beginning at the 90th Anniversary Roundup event in 2002, the Songbirds Girl Scout Choir was created to keep traditions alive through learning, singing, and performing a huge variety of both Girl Scout songs from back to the beginning to campfire songs, clapping games, folk music, graces, international songs, etc. While the choir is currently (sadly) on hiatus because of the pandemic restrictions, we usually meet on the second Saturday of every month at Berthoud Elementary School. The choir is open to adults, children, troops, families, and friends of all kinds. There is no registration required and no cost involved. It’s great when alums can bring daughters, granddaughters, and others to help keep everyone “Happy All the Time!”
Meadow Mountain Ranch Fund Drive
Meadow Mountain Ranch (MMR) is held very closely to our hearts and our precious mountain property near Allenspark always needs financial support to continue to provide troops, families, and other groups the opportunity to come explore the high country in all seasons of the year. Contributions can be made directly to GSCO earmarked specifically for Meadow Mountain Ranch, or watch in the mail and through other media outlets for a newsletter three or four times per year. This newsletter gives updates, inspirational stories by alums from the past 60 years, and sometimes photos, poetry, or a “wish list” of ongoing projects or “pie-in-the sky” suggestions for present or future improvements.
Women’s Week and 60th Anniversary Reunion
2021 will be celebration time for 60 years of operation at Meadow Mountain Ranch (MMR). The Women’s Week event will sponsor the reunion, and the dates are ready to be marked solidly in your 2021 calendars. July 22 – 26 will allow us four nights to come and stay and play, with an open house/reunion function, fantastic banquet and campfire celebrations on Saturday, July 24. Watch for separate materials coming out soon, including costs and registration forms and program information. We’re hoping for a HUGE turnout!
Green Hat Society
This is a group of Girl Scout alums who have chapters around the country. The local chapter in Northeastern Colorado is the Plains to Peaks (P2P) Chapter. Green Hat Society members enjoy fellowship with local chapter members as well as trips and meetings with members from around the country. Service and girl program are important parts of the Green Hat Society.
Promise Partners
This is another local Girl Scout alum group made up of women in Northeastern Colorado. It began in the 1990s as a group of alums from Legacy Girl Scouts – Mountain Prairie Council who wanted a way to continue to be active Girl Scout volunteers. The group traditionally meets four times a year for fellowship and service. We hope to continue meeting in person in the near future. Two significant groups came from Promise Partners. One is the Songbirds Choir and the other is the council History Group. Promise Partners also sponsored two trips to Our Cabana in Mexico to participate in programs around the Monarch Butterfly migration and in service to help in the rescue and preservation of Sea Turtles.
History Group
This group of history buffs consists of eight volunteers who meet weekly at the GSCO History Center in Loveland. They organize and catalog many Girl Scout items including uniforms, books, collectibles, ephemera, and international items. They also have several programs available for troop visits. (These are now on hold until further notice.) The History volunteers enjoy setting up displays for local area events, libraries, etc. and are able to attend local events to share Girl Scout history with troops. There are also uniforms and books available to check out. Groups interested in uniforms to wear in parades or to hold a fashion show can email the committee. They welcome donations of any and all Girl Scout-related items and currently have items from more than 300 donors.
Thanks for checking in with us on all these activities. In reality, there are plenty for Girl Scout alums of all ages and locations to help us further involvement and commitment to everyone within the Girl Scouts of Colorado family. We’ll get you on any or all of these membership lists as you contact us.
We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.
