Yetta Koppel, of Creve Coeur, attends the first honorary Troop 100 meeting for Girl Scouts

As the Girl Scout organization turns 100 this year, senior citizen women throughout eastern Missouri have the opportunity to reminisce and share Girl Scout memories through honorary Troop 100 meetings. The Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri launched an honorary Troop 100 as a way to celebrate the organization’s centennial and honor our elderly Girl Scout women. The first meeting was held this Monday and drew more than 50 attendees, including two 99-year-old women who will be turning 100 this year along with the organization. 

The meeting started out with nostalgic crafts and activities that reminded the women of their years as young Girl Scouts: making swap hats and camp perfume. The smell of citronella, eucalyptus and lemongrass sparked a conversation amongst the women about overnight hikes and Camp Tuckaho before it had running water.

After finishing the Girl Scout activities the women bonded over a Girl Scout lunch that included foil-packet chicken breasts, a recipe that many of the women remembered from their days at Girl Scout camp. Five members of Girl Congress, Girl Scouts over the age of 14 who represent all members of their district, attended the Troop 100 event and led the group of women in the Girl Scout Promise and Girl Scout Law as a way to reinvest the older women into the organization.

Following the re-investiture ceremony, many women brought out old photos or their collection of Girl Scout membership cards. Others brought heartfelt stories. One woman in particular, Yetta Koppel, had an extraordinary story to share. Yetta and her pen-pal, with whom she was matched as a Girl Scout at age 13, have been writing to each other for 76 years.

Yetta and her pen-pal, Marjorie have had similar life experiences. Their letters started with information about Girl Scouts, school and boyfriends. As they got older, the stories matured to marriage, children, family losses and grandchildren. Yetta said that one day Marjorie phoned her and asked her to visit before they both got too old to do so. In 1993, after 58 years of writing one another, Yetta traveled to Australia to meet her pen-pal. Although that was the first time the two had ever physically met, Yetta said it felt like they had known each other a lifetime. Yetta stayed with Marjorie in Australia for 15 days and said that it is one of her most fond memories. She has Girl Scouts to thank for connecting her with such a wonderful friend. The two still continue to write each other about once a month.

When asked about her favorite part of this meeting, Yetta said, “It was a lovely program, I enjoyed seeing the older Girl Scouts and the young Girl Scouts too.”

Additional honorary Troop 100 meetings are set to take place in May and August. If you’re aware of any senior citizens that would love to reconnect with Girl Scouting and share Girl Scout memories please contact Mary Ann Owens at mowens@girlscoutsem.org.