Submitted by Linda Robinson
I became a Brownie Girl Scout in 1963. It was the first year with four program levels and I remember looking through my bright orange handbook whenever I had the chance. Monday afternoons were Brownie Girl Scout day at my elementary school. Our troop met right after school in the multi-purpose room. Our troop leaders were Mrs. Pharris and Mrs. Bolter and they continued with the troop all the way through Juniors and into Cadettes.
Some of my favorite girl memories are making butter and doing crafts as a Brownie. In Juniors, we were able to sell cookies, go camping and do service projects in our community. I grew up in Palo Alto, California and our Junior and Cadette troop meetings were held at the Lou Henry Hoover Girl Scout House in one of our local parks. It was great fun learning how to cook (both indoors and out) at the GS House. After my first campout, I came home and announced that we need to go camping as a family. We borrowed equipment from friends, loaded up the station wagon and our family went on our first camping trip to Big Basin State Park. It was the first of a lifetime of campouts.
As an adult, I got back into Girl Scouts when a friend asked if I knew of a brand-new program for kindergarten age girls. Our oldest daughters were in preschool and would start kindergarten in the fall. It was 1985 when we started our Daisy troop. All three of my daughters went through Girl Scouts from Daisies through Seniors, earned their Gold Awards and became lifetime members upon graduating high school. We had many great adventures as I led their troops through those 20 years.
During the 10 years I spent as an advisor to older girls we traveled, earned money to travel, led programs for younger girls, did community service projects, and became great friends.
I spent many hours on the service unit team leading day camps, international festivals, and other community events in Loveland as well as becoming a Master Trainer in Mountain Prairie Council.
Most of my volunteer Girl Scout time is spent on the history committee. We meet every Tuesday in Loveland at the GSCO History Center. Our time there is spent organizing, inventorying and cataloging the vast collection of historic Girl Scout items that council has. It is great fun finding a new treasure in an unopened box and looking through old catalogs to find out when it was available and how much it cost at the time.
I also am a member of the Northern Colorado Gold Award Committee. I truly enjoy working with the amazing young women who are working on their Gold Awards. As the president of Promise Partners, the Northern Colorado Girl Scout alumnae group, I arrange meeting s about four times a year where we meet for fun, fellowship and service.
My most recent volunteer role has been volunteer registrar for Core Camp at Meadow Mountain Ranch. We had a great weekend putting on a volunteer run resident camp like program for troops. I can’t wait to do it again next year.
I have done many amazing things as a Girl Scout and traveled to many wonderful places, both with girls and adults. Some of my more memorable trips include Belize, Nova Scotia and Maine, England, Savannah, and to Our Cabana in Mexico to see the Monarch Butterflies.
My life outside of Girl Scouts includes enjoying my two young grandsons, gardening, quilting and traveling with my husband of 37 years. Although he is not a Girl Scout, he has always been a great support to me in my volunteer roles.
My advice to adults is to stay active in Girl Scouts and encourage your girls to continue with Girl Scouts into high school and beyond. The world will open up to you. Find your passion and let Girl Scouts help you fulfill it. You won’t regret it.
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