Girl Scouts vs. Sororities

alum · #1 06-13-2006, 06:39 AM

As I watch my daughter cross over tonight from a Senior Girl Scout to the ranks of Adult Scout, I will fondly recall her 13 years of active participation from Daisy in kindergarten in CA, Brownies in both MA & NY, Juniors in NY & KS and finally her Cadette and Senior years in VA.

Girl Scouting has provided her with innumerable experiences and opportunities. From earning her first petal for her Daisy smock to earning the Gold Award, my child has benefited from Scouting. It has taught her leadership, cooperation, independence.

I thank her myriad of leaders for the time they devoted to troops. My daughter is a better person for incorporating Girl Scouts into her life.

AGDee · #2 06-13-2006, 11:31 PM

In this month's Leader magazine from Girl Scouts, they have a whole section on college selection, getting scholarships, etc. My daughter was looking it over and wanted to read about the scholarships. It specifically mentioned the scholarships from Kappa Delta and she said "If I go to a school that doesn't have your sorority, would you be mad if I joined that one? I think it's cool that they support Girl Scouts." I told her she could join whichever one she wanted, whether there was an Alpha Gam chapter or not. Then she asked if she could still join Alpha Gam if she got a scholarship from Kappa Delta. She's only 12, but she's so driven and focused. She spent the rest of the evening looking up the Ivy League schools and trying to pick one.

Anyway, Girl Scouts has been great for her too. It will continue to be for a long time. She definitely has aspirations to earn the Gold Award and is starting to think about Silver projects.

SUTriD86 · #3 06-18-2006, 02:53 PM

I did both. I was a girl scout for 11-12 years, and I got my Silver award. Then I went to college, rushed, and became a Tri Delta. We don't have Girl Scouts as our philanthropy, obviously, but one thing I learned is that both of those org.s stay with you for life, regardless. I will always be a girl scout and have that philanthropic spirit, and everything I do with Tri Delta makes me remember my GS days. It doesn't matter, in the end, as long as it's something she loves. Congrats to your kid for being such a young go-getter.

carnation · #4 06-18-2006, 07:50 PM

The director of the Scout camp where my daughters go just told me that several councils are being forced to combine. In Alabama, for instance, it'll be Cahaba, Cottaquilla, North Alabama, Tombigbee, and I think one other. Northwest Georgia will band with Concharty and a couple of others. We're afraid that this will mean that several camps will be dumped. I hear that Camp Adahi in Chattanooga has already been sold to Coca Cola.

notyouraverage · #5 06-20-2006, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carnation

The director of the Scout camp where my daughters go just told me that several councils are being forced to combine. In Alabama, for instance, it'll be Cahaba, Cottaquilla, North Alabama, Tombigbee, and I think one other. Northwest Georgia will band with Concharty and a couple of others. We're afraid that this will mean that several camps will be dumped. I hear that Camp Adahi in Chattanooga has already been sold to Coca Cola.

Carnation, I just found out that my home council is being combined as well! Nationals wants Licking Valley to combine with Great Rivers, but we're a Kentucky council and Great Rivers is in Ohio so they're at least trying to get together with another KY council. My camp is being dumped too, I'm completely heartbroken over it. It's been a while since I've been up on all the national politics. Any thoughts on why all the change?

carnation · #6 06-20-2006, 09:18 AM

All I can figure is money. Back in the day, practically every little girl was a Brownie and usually she was a Junior as well. Around the late sixties, it became uncool to be an older Scout in many areas.

Anyway, now numbers are really down because girls have all these options that they didn't have before, like sports, and the money coming into Scouting must be way down as well.

notyouraverage · #7 06-20-2006, 09:38 AM

I can totally see why the money would be down in Licking Valley, I mean, who has heard of Erlanger, KY? But in Atlanta? When I was involved in that council, my advisor told me they got all their money from Coke, Delta, Home Depot, ... you get the idea. Are they really hurting that much?

alum · #8 06-20-2006, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notyouraverage

Carnation, I just found out that my home council is being combined as well! Nationals wants Licking Valley to combine with Great Rivers, but we're a Kentucky council and Great Rivers is in Ohio so they're at least trying to get together with another KY council. My camp is being dumped too, I'm completely heartbroken over it. It's been a while since I've been up on all the national politics. Any thoughts on why all the change?

Combining councils across state lines is not necessarily a huge issue. The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital includes all of the District, parts of MD and parts of VA. It works for our area.

notyouraverage · #9 06-20-2006, 12:02 PM

you're completely right, it's not a huge issue. I just happened to visit my old council's website and read about it from their Spring Annual notes. They were making a big deal about it and trying to combine with a group in KY. Honestly, it has more to do with existing stereotypes from that Northern KY / Cincinnati area. Some people act like you're leaving the country by crossing the river. I wish I were better informed about what is going on, though. It's only been four years, but I feel like I've lost all my contacts there!

jadis96 · #10 08-01-2006, 03:06 AM

Just as a side note one of my sisters in my alum chapter works with our local council. She has organized a group called "Lady Scouts" to do things like help mentor and work with local troops. Since I was a junior for 2 years she asked me to help, but I was not able to make the time commitment. After reading this maybe I should shoot her an email and make the time.

Lady of Pearl · #11 06-26-2006, 12:55 PM

I too have fond memories of Girl Scouts, the camping -the cookies, the badges for community service- ceremonies

I only made it to the junior level and coveted that cadette uniform ;but it had disbanded before I could get to that level -and still ask my mom why? to this day. I still support their cookie sales annually-love those tag-a-longs, thin mints and trefoils!

DreamfulSpirit · #12 06-27-2006, 01:43 AM

I was a girl scout from 2nd to 7th grades. I left in cadettes, when apparently it was still called that. My sorority, Omega Phi Alpha, which is a national service sorority, my chapter each semester does Girl Scout Badge Day where we set up stations and help girl scouts earn 2 badges. Its one of my favorite service projects!

AngieWashU · #13 06-27-2006, 07:35 PM

The Council realignments really have to do with fiscal responsibility. A Council serving a small number of girls has a much higher administrative cost per girl than a Council serving a larger number of girls does. It will be a struggle for everyone to adjust to the changes, but this may also bring new opportunities to our girls.