Get Your Hands Dirty!

Our volunteers ROCK! As one of our queens of tie dye can attest, this isn't for the faint of heart - at least not when it comes to keeping clean.  Our volunteers are willing to get in there, get their hands dirty, and do what it takes to dig down deep into a leadership adventure for girls. 

I wish I had more time to stop and reflect on these amazing people ... our volunteers.  But alas, I am putting the finishing touches on an event for them this Saturday, so my words will have to show up on stage and not in a blog!

But in the meantime, some of what we shared with Girl Scouts of the USA on #HatsOffForVolunteers via Twitter today might provide some additional entertainment. 

www.twitter.com/newsGSEOK
www.twitter.com/imagirlscout

Every Day is Leaders' Day

Learning ... guiding ... growing ... discovering ... all these things we celebrate.  And today, while it is officially Leaders Day, my thoughts are towards the wonderful adults who take the time to make these things happen in the lives of Girl Scouts.

One day to recognize and say THANK YOU is simply not enough.  Leaders and volunteers are daily making a difference.  Have you thanked a Girl Scout volunteer recently?

NOTE:  Girl Scout Leader Day recognizes and honors the many adult volunteers to the girl scouting program. Girl Scout Leader Day began on April 22, 1982, when a flag honoring Girl Scout leaders was flown over the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. This day honors the thousands of volunteers who help to make the Girl Scout program a success.

Some Serious Reporting

This serious group of girls had a seriously great opportunity ... and even though it has taken me a while to get up a post about it, it's still one of my favorite moments. 

Tulsa Shock graciously worked with us on a BIG event where girls had the opportunity to experience different roles through the night.  I brought in a good friend of mine who is a real reporter and journalist to lead and inspire the girls.  Not only did he do that, but he was able to get them an interview with the coach after the game!

This is what makes my heart so soft ... people who volunteer simply by sharing their skills and abilities, making a new opportunity open up for girls.  I don't know if they realized how lucky they were, but they took full advantage of the moment!  I was so impressed.  They asked not only great questions, but GUTSY questions!  One, in fact, made the other reporters in the room gasp and scribble in their notebooks, too.  But even better than that, they made the coach's day and she encouraged them as well.

One young lady submitted her story to the Girl Scout Council, so we put it up online and you can read all about it (including her gutsy question) by clicking here.

Diversity and Legacies

It does my heart good when I hear about inspiration and encouragement that simply relies on the human experience. Neither age nor race should play a discriminating role in the impact a person's life can have on the future of a girl. And I'm proud to say that I have found Girl Scouting to truly be a place where that is demonstrated.

Take Dawn and Dorothy, for instance. Dawn (left) grew up in McAlester with Dorothy (right) as her troop leader. At a recent event to honor Dorothy, the thanks and the stories that poured from Dawn's heart brought both laughter and tears. Dawn is NOT the outdoor type and as a girl had a hard time spending time away from home. Dorothy always encouraged her and always let her go home when it got to be too much ... time and time and time again.

Because of Dorothy's open encouragement, Dawn continued to take steps as she was ready, and eventually she made it through a night, and a weekend, and she has even successfully camped. But it wasn't just about staying overnight. It was about developing those core leadership skills - courage, confidence and character. The wisdom of patient leadership is what Dawn needed. And as a result, she had more than just a successful experience as a Girl Scout. She is now a professional Girl Scout staff member along with Dorothy! And maybe even more importantly, she is guiding her own daughter on a similar path in Girl Scouting to discover her strengths and master them one step at a time.

Dawn and Dorothy are both women who embody the Girl Scout Mission of making the world a better place ... one step at a time, one girl at a time. These women make me proud to be a Girl Scout, too!

Girl Scouts ... Not Just For Girls

I remember walking into a room of incarcerated women who were waiting to meet their daughters for a very non-traditional Girl Scout troop meeting. Hidden behind the crowd of children were two - a brother and sister - there for the first time. The room quickly filled with chatter and hugs as children were reconnecting with their mothers. But one moment stood out above the others. To hear a mother's emotion filled sobs echoed by her children as they embrace for the first time in years shook me to the core. A Girl Scout, a "tagalong" sibling, and an incarcerated mother ... all joined together and working toward hope. That's powerful.

Reaching out into a girl's life affects far more than just the young girl. I'm thinking about her connections in the world ... and they are significant. Imagine being able to inject courage, confidence and character into her relationships. How would that affect her mother? Her brother? Her schoolmates? Her teachers? Her mentors?

We often talk about the change Girl Scouting makes in the life of a girl, but we don't always talk about the change it can make in the lives of those connected to her. But the impact is exponential.

I remember interviewing a Girl Scout volunteer who is a school employee. As she told stories that went from troop to camp to schoolyard, we laughed and cried together ... and I was humbled by the amazing circle of impact I heard just through one voice.

I remember being introduced to a woman who talked about how Girl Scouting was as much for her as it was for her daughter. The same courage, confidence and character that was building in her troop was also building in her, and she was able to free herself from abuse and finally found she indeed did have a wonderful future and life ahead of her.

I remember hearing about an adventure involving a Girl Scout with disabilities and her troop learning to rappel ... again laughing and crying over the trials and triumphs. And I was so thankful for the man (one of our outdoor trainers) who so gently encouraged and empowered the young girl. Yet talk to him or his wife and their dedicated scouting family (even their daughters are leaders now of troops) and you'll find story after empowering story not just about the girls, but about their families and their futures.

I remember reading a thank you card from a volunteer who never realized she'd need to use her first aid training to save her own son. And to the schoolmates of two young girls I know who have literally saved lives? It's almost beyond words. The impact is immeasurable.
Even I, who am on the lowest scale when I observe these moments from the outside, feel that impact and it changes me. Imagine how making a difference can change the rest of the world!

The Beauty of Volunteerism

I'm chomping at the bit to share photos of our Sangam event (pending photo releases) ... it's a "wide game" where Girl Scout Juniors have the opportunity to experience cultural connections by learning about our world center in India and the national heritage.

It gives a great picture of what one might call "non traditional" Girl Scout volunteers. These volunteers come together for one afternoon ... easy enough! And yet what a significant event for the girls.

I love seeing the range of faces and roles of these volunteers. The beauty is that anyone can share their wonderful world with another regardless of age or race or background.

• We have professionals sharing their international experiences.
• We have ethnic groups sharing their culture.
• We have young artists sharing their skills.
• Girls get a taste of Girl Scout connections worldwide ... literally with the cuisine.
• And of course, we have the ever ready "I'll help wherever needed" volunteer who gains a wealth of experience with each new opportunity.

Yes, this is a beautiful picture to me.

Discovery ... Smell the Roses, Study the Bugs

Of the three dozen people spending the weekend together at camp, one young girl noticed this grasshopper. The moments shared following this discovery became a highlight of the weekend for her and for me.

Discovery is such an important element to growth and life and accomplishment. I think it's no wonder that it's the first element of our Girl Scout Leadership Experience: Discover, Connect, Take Action!

Sometimes, revolutionary discovery isn't the in big things ... it's found in the tiny details others overlook. But it's those minute discoveries that can lead to a profound revelation. As a seed carries the potential for a forest within ... so discovery has the seed for life experiences and maybe even revolutionary change.

I think about Einstein as he imagines himself traveling on a light beam. How many people stop and take the time to do that? Our phrase "stop and smell the roses" might be more significant than we realize. When is the last time you encouraged someone (including yourself) to imagine riding on a beam of light? To stop and smell the roses? To study a bug? I think I'll take time to discover something today.

We're All Different ... Or Are We?

I am inspired by this toolbox. It looks very much like an organization. We are all working side by side to accomplish the same mission. While our sense of purpose gives us a particularly strong common bond, we each have different skills and talents. And we are plugging those abilities in to the same engine that drives the largest leadership organization for girls.

Lately I've been contemplating differences. They give us flavor in our relationships ... and headaches, too. As a professional Girl Scout, I work side by side with some of the most interesting people I have ever met. They give flavor in the workplace ... and headaches, too!


Is that bad to say? Or just honest? I think if we all admit it, our working relationships can be strained and it can sometimes make completing a mission difficult.

Oftentimes, all I need is a word picture to get a bigger picture. When differences seem to get in the way, my goal is to back up and take a look at the bigger picture. We're in the same toolbox. Sure, we are each fit for different roles. But when it comes down to it, we're not as different as we think! Each one of us is here to make a difference, and together we can do it.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma!

Girl Scouts throughout eastern Oklahoma, ranging from Bartlesville to Broken Bow gathered in Muskogee to be part of history on Saturday afternoon as the newly formed Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma was officially unveiled. The new council was formed after three councils -- Bluestem, Tiak, and Magic Empire Council -- agreed to merge, providing greater cohesiveness for Girl Scouts throughout the eastern part of the state.

Nearly 1,000 girls and adults celebrated the union in Muskogee on Saturday. Following a celebratory gathering at Muskogee's Masonic Hall and a commemorative group photo, the group walked four blocks to the Three Rivers Museum for the unveiling of a bronze statue celebrating Muskogee as the city with the earliest recorded Girl Scout cookie sales. The Mistletoe Troop of Muskogee first used the sweet fundraising idea in 1917.

The bronze statue, commissioned by Girl Scouts of Magic Empire Council and Little Brownie Bakers, was created by Stillwater artist Phyllis Mantik and will be on permanent display at the Three Rivers Museum.