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by Jo Ann Ward, Carolyn Johnson and Joanne Williams
At the 2005 Membership Development Conference in July, GSSJC
board members Mimi Chew and Jo Ann Ward presented the 2005
Ervan Chew Pluralism Award to Louise Villejo.
Louise Villejo is an outstanding example of a Girl Scout
volunteer. She is a mother and an active community leader
who works full time in the highly responsible position of
Executive Director of Patient Education at M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center, and she makes being the leader of
Troop #2487 an equally high priority in her busy life.
Louise leads a group of girls, including her daughter, Eva.
As a woman of Hispanic background, Louise wanted her children
to have the same great scouting experiences and learn the
values of Scouting that her parents had provided for her and
her siblings. She took this commitment very seriously and
stepped up to the plate to take on the leader role for a troop
of girls from diverse backgrounds. For 11 years Louise has
helped these young women live the realities and ideals of
pluralism and have a wider vision of the world around them.
In addition to leading her troop, Louise has led the recruitment
rallies at The Rice School for the last five years to ensure
that more girls will have the opportunity to be involved in
Girl Scouts. She mentors new troops to make sure that they
get off to a good start and are connected to the Girl Scout
resources, so they have the best that Girl Scouting has to
offer. Louise has served as Nominating Committee Chair, Program
Chair for the Braes Link Service Unit weekend and has twice
served as the service unit manager. She is the recipient of
the Outstanding Leader Award.
In addition to her work with Girl Scouting, Louise is a
member of Class IX of Leadership Houston (1990-1991) where
she had the opportunity to work with Ervan Chew on several
community projects. Louise has served on the Board of Leadership
Houston, Career Recovery Resources, Inc., including as its
chair, as a volunteer for Volunteers in Public Schools in
HISD for 15 years, in the Rice University Equity Initiative
for Science and Mathematics and on the Education Committee
for the John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Science. It
doesn’t stop there.
Louise has held leadership roles in the American Public Health
Association, and is a founding member of the Houston Hispanic
Health Coalition. She is nationally known for her advocacy
for Hispanic health and patient empowerment.
GSSJC
Board Member Jo Ann Ward says, “Louise integrated her
work and life experiences into Girl Scouting by demonstrating
first-hand how a young woman makes choices based on her values
and lives those values in all she says and does. She has felt
it is
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important for her to take on the leadership
role in Girl Scouting and as a volunteer in public schools
so that the students can see a woman of color being involved
and dedicated to their growth and success.” Ward adds,
“Louise’s wonderful sense of humor gives her an
ability to step back and look at a challenging situation with
a perspective of wisdom to see the possibilities. She believes
in seeking input from the girls she leads.”
While some might ask as they observe Louise in her busy
life, “Louise, don’t you think it’s time
to hang up the Girl Scout hat?” Her response is, “Not
as long as the girls are interested and I can still contribute.”
She might also tell you that she has as much fun as the girls.
Louise’s vision, leadership, and dedication to helping
this troop grow in life experiences has gone from field trips
around the block to adventures in international travel, culminating
in a troop trip last summer to visit the World Center, Our
Cabana, in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
On behalf of the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council and
the Pluralism Committee, congratulations to Louise Villejo.
About Ervan Chew
Ervan Chew was a volunteer with Girl Scouts of San
Jacinto Council for three short years, until his death
on January 19, 1999, yet his contributions and impact
on girls and adults would make it seem that he had been
with us forever.
In this Council, Ervan served on the board of directors,
Pluralism Committee, Fund Development Committee, Council
Nominating Committee, Urban Campout Committee and many
more committees and task groups. Beyond this Council,
Ervan was a volunteer with numerous non-profit organizations,
including United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast, Leadership
Houston, the American Leadership Forum, and many more.
No job was ever too big or too small for him. He embraced
each task with the same enthusiasm and determination.
In his memory, the Council Pluralism Committee established
the Ervan Chew Pluralism Award in order to recognize
individuals whose service to young people, to pluralism,
and to the community closely mirrors that of Ervan Chew.
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