Girl Scouts Celebrate Founder's Birthday on Halloween

by Ellen Christie, GSUSA Staff Writer

Halloween was a special day for Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., because she was born October 31, 1860 in Savannah, Georgia. A wonderfully eccentric woman with vision, she believed in service to community, self-reliance for girls, and the importance of having fun.

She had a lifelong love of animals, a flare for the dramatic, and a great sense of humor. On her birthday each year, she was famous for standing on her head to show her family just how young she still was.

At the age of 51, she founded Girl Scouts with 18 girls. By the time she died in 1927 there were already some 168,000 Girl Scout members.

Low believed in teaching girls to be responsible and take their place in the world. In notes for an early recruitment speech, when she was asked why a parent should have her daughter join, her answer was simple: “the most valuable asset a girl will gain is a sense of individual responsibility.”

Vision in Action

In 1912, while back at home in Savannah, Georgia, one year after meeting with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides in England, Low made an historic phone call to her cousin. “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight,” she said. They began making plans immediately and on

March 12, 1912, Juliette Low gathered 18 girls together to organize the first two American Girl Guide troops. She changed the name of the organization one year later to Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.

Juliette Gordon Low envisioned a woman’s place not only in the home, but in society—as a strong leader. Her implementation of a program that developed self-reliance and resourcefulness in girls was truly ahead of its time. She pioneered a movement by bringing girls of all backgrounds into the outdoors to learn about nature, become physically fit, prepare for future roles as professionals in the arts, sciences, business, and perhaps most importantly, to be active citizens outside the home.

A well-traveled individual and skilled artist herself, she believed that with a little perseverance, anything was possible. Her own lifelong challenges—including deafness, an unsuccessful marriage, and cancer—did not diminish her spirit or drive for encouraging girls of this nation to dream their biggest dreams and persevere through all obstacles to make a difference in the world.

Introducing the Vol-a-Gram!
Coming to a computer near you!

by Sandee Williams

There’s a new type of volunteer on the horizon – the “episodic volunteer!” Universally, this description is defined as an individual who elects to engage in one-time or short-term volunteer opportunities. They run the gamut from college students and stay-at-home moms to business professionals and active retirees. Episodic volunteers are skilled, talented, and energetic individuals with challenging job schedules and hectic social commitments. They have a genuine desire to contribute to the community in a meaningful way and they seek a low-committal and flexible volunteer schedule.

Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council has a new tool called the Vol-a-Gram! It’s an online “want-ad,” enabling you to request the volunteer assistance you need to make 2005-2006 a most successful year.

Possible links may be made for short-term assistance in such areas as: recruitment efforts, record keeping, product sales, service unit events, troop field trips, badge program, STUDIO 2B activities, or day camps. Of course, successful matches are dependent upon availability and compatibility.

Access your needs and connect with a Vol-a-Gram! For more information contact Sandee Williams, 713-292-0284, swilliams@sjgs.org or Kathy Denton, 713-292-0293, kdenton@sjgs.org.

Help Pilot New Healthy Living Program for Girls 11-17 In Harris County

If you are a Girl Scout or a Girl Scout leader for Girls 11-17 in Harris County, you may have the opportunity to participate in an exciting new project between Baylor College of Medicine and GSSJC. Project F.I.N.E. (Fitness Information and Nutrition Information) can help you and/or your troop meet requirements from many different interest projects including “From Fitness to Fashion,” “Creative Cooking,” “The Food Connection,” and “Math, Maps, and More.”

The conclusion of the initial part of the study will also provide the participating Girl Scouts opportunities to win prizes, including Houston Texans memorabilia and tickets to a Texans football game, based on entries in a poster contest.

Activities will begin in November 2005 and end in February 2006. Following the initial pilot phase, the program may become available to Girl Scouts all across GSSJC. This study is made possible by a grant from General Mills.

Please contact Julie Deeter, 713-292-0203, 800-392-4340 or jdeeter@sjgs.org for more information.