Moms help Girl Scouts celebrate
On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low organized the nation's first Girl Scout troop in Savannah, Ga., with 18 girls.
Back
To commemorate that historic date, 2.9 million Girl Scouts nationwide celebrate the week of the anniversary as Girl Scout Week, which was March 7-13 this year. During the week of celebration and special events, troops often culminate or begin new service projects.
Locally, Brownie Troop 339 of the Lakeside Service Unit ended a seven-month project collecting soda-can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. With a giant pretzel jar full of tabs, the seven 6- and 7-year-old scouts personally delivered their collection and toured the facility, which houses families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at area hospitals.
"They enjoyed it," said troop co-leader Aurelia Epperson. "They thought it was interesting. There was a family there with a child that was sick, so it was nice to see the house being used."
The house receives money for each pound of tabs, an equivalent of 1,490 tabs. Epperson's troop delivered more than 3,200 tabs, she said.
Michelle Carter enjoys a treat with her daughter Blaine, 7, during the Mommy & Me Tea Party at the Girl Scouts Camp Tanglewood. The party was for leaders and their daughters in Girl Scout Group 783.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Despite the many community service projects Girl Scouts are involved in, the week also was a celebration of Girl Scouts.
"It is about celebrating being a Girl Scout and all that means," said Susan Simmons, director of communications and marketing for the Girl Scouts' Central Savannah River Council.
During the weekend, some troops observed Girl Scout Sunday and Girl Scout Sabbath, when scouts wear their uniforms to their church or synagogue. Some attend both to experience something new, Simmons said.
"One way they celebrate is to worship together as a troop," Simmons said. "We tend to think of ourselves as an inclusive organization with a spiritual base, but we don't dictate the form that that takes. That is a decision that is made by girls and their families."
Girl Scouts has grown tremendously in the area and now includes more than 4,600 girls in the Central Savannah River Council.
Scouts in the Greenbrier Service Unit honored Girl Scout leaders Thursday by hosting a tea party for leaders and their daughters at Camp Tanglewood.
Though the official week is over, area scouts still have events planned to celebrate the anniversary.
In honor of Girl Scout Week and Women's History Month, the scouts of Troop 6 in Grovetown will dress as famous women throughout history and each will give a presentation of that woman at Grovetown's gazebo at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Scouts will be dressed in their Sunday best on Saturday for the Me and My Guy Dance at Evans High School, where each girl will be escorted by her father.
Epperson said she is pleased that her troop enjoyed their service project and has become dedicated to it.
"They want to continue saving tabs for the house," Epperson said after the troop agreed to continue the collection at their March 8 meeting. "They liked the idea of helping the Ronald McDonald House. They had fun, and I am glad they want to continue."
Kelly Edwards and her daughter Rachel, 6, enjoy a cup of tea at the party.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Adrienne Orr, 9, helps herself to some punch during the tea party.
Photo by Jim Blaylock