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Horseback Riding - Just One of Many Girl Scout Activities

I am a Girl Scout leader for my younger daughter's troop. Now eighth graders, I took over managing the troop when they were starting 3rd grade. I had missed the meeting to register my daughter, and WHAM! I was nominated as the new leader! (Yes, that'll definitely teach a girl a lesson!) After careful consideration, I decided to take the plunge. At the time, my husband blatantly told me that I was crazy - - that I would be in over my head, and that the girls (28 of them at the time!) would drive me bananas! Proceeding with caution, I counter-offered, saying that I would only do it if I had a couple of assistant leaders to help shoulder the load. Lucky for me, three other wonderful moms stepped up, and we started what would become one of the most long-term volunteer gigs of our lives!

I am here to tell you that I have never looked back. I won't lie to you. It hasn't always been easy. Planning all those meetings has taken a tremendous amount of our collective time and energy, and at times, the girls can be a little nerve-racking! Those tensions aside, being a Girl Scout leader has been the most rewarding volunteer opportunity I've ever been given. The look on their faces when they've accomplished something they never thought they could do? Absolutely priceless. Last year, there was only one 8th grade scout from our school, while we had fourteen 7th graders.  With all of the other activities that these girls have from which to choose, it is a great source of pride that we still have 12 girls this year in the 8th grade. That's about a fourth of the girls in the grade.

Our adventures have ranged from visits to the Moon Marble Factory in Kansas City, KS, to planning a Father/Daughter Sweetheart Dance for all of the Girl Scouts in our K-8th grade school, to camping in various Girl Scout facilities. Whether in "Permatents" (structures with canvas flaps for walls, cots and a wooden floor), real tents on the edge of a lake or "lodge style", with full electricity, we've always had a wonderful time. I can't possibly count the number of s'mores our girls have eaten over the years. We earned our Bronze Award (the highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn) in 6th grade by making a slew of visits to a nearby senior living center. The girls participated in numerous activities with the elderly and learned compassion for them in the process.

We've been horseback riding, ziplining, swimming and rock wall climbing. We've made beautiful bracelets with a local jewelry artisan and perpared more foods than you can shake a stick at. Putting 16 gingerbread houses together (without even one of us being an engineer...) and decorating them. Carrolling at Christmastime. Roller skating. An overnight at the Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark/Hotel. Day camp year after year. Our scouts becoming mentors for the younger scouts at camp. All of these activities have made memories for the girls and for us as their leaders.

Girl Scouts - it's not all Fruit Loop and Macaroni Noodle Necklaces!

In my next post, I'll cover working toward a trip and the benefits of being a Girl Scout - both to me and to the girls.