Today is the 100th birthday of Girls Scouts.
I was a Girl Scout for six years. Five of the years Mom was our scout leader. The troop would gather at our house each Tuesday. Dues were a dime and treat duty was rotated from one girl to the next. Mom was wonderful with all the Girl Scouts who over the years became my best friends. They loved Mom and thought she was the greatest.
Once the troop learned to knit squares that were to become a baby blanket for charity. The yarn was in pale yellow and mint green to signify the Scouting colors. I'm not sure the blanket ended up donated or even finished. I remember Mom painstakingly trying to piece the strangely angled pieces together for several afternoons.
Often the group would get together in the summer time informally. We loved being together, having fun together.
In this photo the group was together playing dress up and acting out a drama one summer afternoon. Tina Smith, the next door neighbor had provided us with the "beautiful" dresses. Gail Hebert, the gal kneeling encouraging the pouter, was the aspiring actress among us. Arlene Strong, in the upper left, always the clown. Yvonne, next to Arlene, came to the United States from Holland in the fourth grade not speaking a word of English.
We had several great camp outs over the years on Vashon Island at the Odemark's summer home. Happy times!
Girl Scout cookie sales were a blast...and quite a competition among the troop. Back in the "good old days" on the appointed Saturday - not before 9:00am - the house to house door knocking contest would begin. If you were going to attempt to become the designated "Cookie Queen," the walking shoes were on, a good breakfast had been eaten and at the chiming of the clock off you went! Some customers would try to engage us in conversation. We were always polite but undue conversation slowed down the process. Ring the door, give the pitch, get the money!
Troop 492 was disbanded when we moved to Butte. Mom tried to get a troop started but the seventh grade girls there just weren't excited about embarking on a new adventure, so my scouting days came to a end but I must say that living in Butte, Montana WAS an adventure in itself!
Often the group would get together in the summer time informally. We loved being together, having fun together.
We had several great camp outs over the years on Vashon Island at the Odemark's summer home. Happy times!
Troop 492 was disbanded when we moved to Butte. Mom tried to get a troop started but the seventh grade girls there just weren't excited about embarking on a new adventure, so my scouting days came to a end but I must say that living in Butte, Montana WAS an adventure in itself!