Girl Scouts Celebrate 100 Years

This article was written by the Girls and Leaders of Troop #161 of the Monrovia-Duarte Council.

         Girl Scouts was started by Juliette Gordon Low on March 12, 1912.  This year we celebrate our 100^th year of Girl Scouting. The Girl Scouts of America has named 2012 the Year of the Girl.  All Girl Scouts have been invited to have a celebration to commemorate this anniversary.  One of the suggested activities was to have your local City Council declare March 12, 2012 as Girl Scout Day, and the week that follows as Girl Scout Week. At the Monrovia City Council Meeting, Mayor Mary Ann Lutz gave us an official Declaration, declaring March 12^th Girl Scout Day.  Seven of our girls were there to lead the flag ceremony and receive the Declaration on behalf of the Monrovia-Duarte Service Unit.

        When Juliette Low, also known as Daisy, started the Girl Scouts 100 years ago, she wanted to encourage girls to prepare for a life at home and encourage the girls to become professionals in the arts or business.  She brought girls on outdoor camping trips, and taught them self-reliance and to be resourceful.  In a time between wars, a growing group of Girl Scouts was hard to fund.  Daisy sold her pearl necklace to help pay for the necessities of the group to carry them through the tough times.  It wasn’t until the 1930’s that a recipe was sent to the 2,000 Girl Scouts, and cookies started being sold for 25 cents per dozen.  Today our Girl Scouts continue to sell cookies to help raise funds for the girls to participate in a number of activities.     

This year for the 100^th Anniversary Celebration, our troop is going to have a drive-thru cookie booth, while we have a party!  We will be selling cookies at the on Foothill Blvd. in Arcadia, from 4:00pm – 7:00pm, on Monday, March 12th.  Our goal is to sell 100 boxes that evening to commemorate the 100^th year! 

     Troop 161 Girls explained what they liked best about being a Girl Scout.  There were so many great comments, including meeting new friends, having fun at campouts, selling cookies and meeting new people, doing service projects to help our community, learning new skills, and “being part of a group that my Mom belonged to!”  Another comment that was echoed throughout the group was that the Girls felt like they could come to a meeting and be “themselves,” just as they are.  Some of the girls have been together since they were Daisies!  Our Troop consists of Juniors and Cadettes.  Several of our Cadettes went to San Francisco and had their bridging ceremony on the Golden Gate Bridge.  Walking northbound as Juniors, and walking southbound as Cadettes.  This year, another group of girls are working towards making that trip in June.

Girl Scout Activities

         As part of the yearlong celebration, Troop 161 has been participating in activities to serve our local food bank and learn more about Girl Scout history.  They have gained leadership skills while making lifelong friends. 

On March 10^th, we participated in the “Feed Your Neighbor” Program.  We collected cans of food that will be delivered to the Council office, and then will be disbursed to the local food banks.  The Girls have participated in this program before, and have really been surprised by how generous people can be.  It’s a great way to help those in need, and it allows the girls to see what a simple act can do to make such a difference. 

         Last month, the Monrovia-Duarte Girl Scouts held its annual Thinking Day at First Presbyterian Church in Monrovia.  Thinking Day is a Girl Scout Holiday in which we celebrate Girl Scouts around the world.  This is one of our Troops favorite events.  We had a special guest, Juliette Gordon Low.  A volunteer from a local council portrays Daisy with poise, friendliness, and a real sense of being a Girl Scout.  She was kind enough to share the history of Girl Scouts, and join us at each of our booths.  She handed out pearls to each of the Girls that went to meet her at her booth.  The pearls symbolize that sometimes great sacrifices have to be made to make a difference for others.

          In October 2011, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA) held an event called Girltopia.  10,000 girls and parents gathered at the LA Convention Center to learn about all of the wonderful opportunities for Girl Scouts.  The all-Girl Scout robotics team had a demonstration of one of their award winning robots.   There were several exhibits highlighting professional women and possible career choices.   Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Business, and Arts brought ideas and experiences for the Girls to interact with.  Cupcake Wars was even there with a tasting opportunity.  The day focused on Girls and the spectrum of disciplines they can explore as women. 

         Girl Scouts have also been a part of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade for over 20 years.  The Senior Girl Scouts, that have earned their Gold Award, carry the banners announcing the prize winners.  This year, Girl Scouts of America entered a float into the parade called “What Will You Do Today?”  The float was designed and decorated by Girl Scouts.  Our Troop was able to be a part of the dry decorating crew, and later tour the float site while it was being decorated.  The float won the Past President’s Trophy for most creative use of floral and non-floral materials.   

         It has been a great year so far.  If you are interested in helping Troop #161 reach our 100 box goal on Monday, March 12^th, please stop by the Walgreen’s on Foothill.

If you would like to become a Girl Scout, or learn more about the Girl Scouts, please feel free to visit the websites below:

Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles -  http://girlscoutsla.org/index.html

Girl Scouts of the United States - http://www.girlscouts.org/