Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Dezire Sanchez of Greeley in the Northern and Northeastern CO region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community.
GSCO asked Dezire to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did.
Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer?
When my daughter was in kindergarten, we were at a UNC football game and they advertised a Girl Scout event in conjunction with UNC. My daughter was interested in the event, so we decided to give Girl Scouts try and registered, so that she could attend the event. We did not have plans on continuing after that year, but we quickly discovered the joy that Girl Scouts brought both of us. At the end of her first year, I decided to take a leader role as I was excited that we had found something that we both enjoyed. When I signed her up, I had no idea of the journey that I we were about to begin.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
Currently, I have the following volunteer roles within Girl Scouts: member of the service unit team, service unit fall product program manager, troop leader, troop fall product program manager, and troop cookie manager. When I became involved in the troop my daughter joined, I had no idea that I myself would become a Girl Scout. I have greatly appreciated each of these roles as they have helped me learn and experience being a Girl Scout. I have also made many new friends and have witnessed the kindness and welcoming that I all hope each Girl Scout feels throughout their journey.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
I have learned that you can become a Girl Scout at any age. I have also learned so much from dealing with the challenges of time management and going outside of my own comfort levels to being a good role model for these girls. I have learned that no matter how hard or rough of a week I am having I will have one uninterrupted hour that I will dedicate to the girls. I have learned to look at the world through their eyes and their hearts and appreciate the compassion and drive they have. I have learned more from these girls than I could have imagined.
What do you hope girls have learned from you?
My hope is that the girls continue to always choose kindness and that we always leave the places and people better than we found them. I hope that these girls continue to gain confidence in their abilities, skills, and knowledge to reach their goals. I also hope that they have the courage to continue to try new things and always seek adventure.
How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
When I began this journey, I would not have expected my experiencing to be anything other than a leader. Oh to look back and realize how incorrect my thoughts were. As a volunteer, I am a G.I.R.L. I am a go-getter most during cookie season. I work with the girls to create a plan that will motivate them to sell cookies and help them understand the commitment they will need to reach their cookie goals. I am an innovator while planning our meetings and activities. I am a risk-taker when we are camping. To be honest, I have never been “outdoorsy,” so this was always a big deal for me. However, camping has quickly become an activity that my daughter and I enjoy tremendously. I fulfill my leader role within service unit level and am truly amazed by all of the wonderful troop leaders I have come to know through our service unit.
Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org.
