Laurie S. Marquis, Rumford

So many memories. Where do I begin? I was a Girl Scout from Brownies through Junior, Cadette and Senior scouting. My earliest memory is of wanting to “fly up” from Brownies to Juniors. You see, my mother was a Junior troop leader in Dixfield. Her name was Annie Spaulding, and I’m sure she had a positive impact on the girls in her care. I had the double blessing of doing behind the scenes work with her. Before each troop meeting, we’d practice singing “in a round” or 2 part harmonies. It helped the other girls to catch on faster to a new song. Another favorite time was coming home on a cool spring day and opening our back porch door. The smell of Thin Mints filled the room. The cookies had arrived! Our home was the clearing house for Girl Scout cookies for my mother’s troop and possibly others. She and I would then sort the cookies according to each girl’s order.

Camping memories are numerous. The was a pine tree in the woods at Camp Wayaka that was so enormous it took many girls with hands held to encircle its circumference. There was also the cherry tree at Camp Pondicherry on Adams Lake that gave me my first taste of fresh cherries. I still love them today.

At Pondicherry you could either go for weekend trips or “established” camp in the summer. It ran sessions of 2 weeks each then. The lodgings were quite cushy there. You could either sleep in a bunk in the cabins or on a cot in the platform tents out in the field. Or like my cousin Wendy, you could spend your time in the infirmary with a bad case of poison ivy. For the 2 week camp we’d pack our belongings into a trunk. Weekend camping became a game of “how much of my stuff can I cram into my sleeping bag before I roll it up?”. You don’t take luggage camping. For weekend camping we’d pitch a tent and sleep on the ground, making sure to dig a trench around the perimeter first. You didn’t want a soggy sleeping bag if it rained.

Cooking over a campfire was always an experience. The pots needed to be soaped on the outside first so they’d wash clean later. Boiling water was used to wash our mess kits, always a tricky proposition. We’d then put the clean dishes in our dunk bag and dip it into another pot of boiling water. The food was always good and not just because we were always hungry. We eat campfire stew, bags of gold, dough boys (not the fried kind), and a delicious concoction made by dipping a chuck of angelfood cake into sweetened condensed milk and then rolling it in coconut. This was then pierced with a stick and roasted over the fire. Everyone knows about s’mores. They really do taste best when you’re covered with bug spray and sweat.

There was Telstar Day Camp located off the Canton Point Road in Dixfield and a later one near the Ellis River. We girls had latrines to dig and campfires to build. I remember cutting many a young tree for our various badge requirements. Marilla became my friend then is still my friend today.

The dear ladies who lead our Cadette and Senior troops were Rita Giradin and Connie Libby. They helped us with the more adult skills of cooking for a family and being a helpful part of the community. Their guidance made it possible for some of us to earn the First Class award.

These great ladies, from my mother to Rita and Connie, helped us become responsible members of society. Girl Scouting was the avenue they chose to accomplish that.

Lorna McDaniel, Livermore Falls

I have great memories of being a JR GS in the late 70’s and going to Camp Kirkwald in Readfield. I wish that day camp was still an option for the girls. For many girls, they do not want to be away from home for a week, and would do great with day camp. Funding now prevents this from happening. As a Girl Scout Leader and mother, In think that day camp would be a great return. Financially many of us can not afford the cost of the resident camp, and our girls can not have that experience.

The values of the Girl Scout Law, also are very important TO BE HONEST AND FAIR, and RESPECT AUTHORITY. All children should learn this.

Janice Reed McDonald, Lewiston

I was a Girl Scout starting at 8 years old, and continued til I was about 12. I sold GS cookies, and 2 years in a row I sold enough to win 1 week at Camp Wayaka. Mrs. Greenlaw was our Scout Leader, and she was excellent. We learned a lot, and did a lot with her, from Glass Etching to cooking. the 2 weeks that I spent at Camp Wayaka were fun filled, and I remember them fondly. I remember one year we had Staff member from Texas, and I heard she got lost in the woods the week before I got there, so other staff members gave her a whistle in case she got lost again. I also remember almost drowning, or at least I thought I was, when we had to jump off the raft to earn our swimmers badge. I didn’t, lol. Gosh, I have so many memories of being a Girl Scout. I could almost write a book on this subject.

Nancy Moyer, Lewiston

When I think of Girl Scouts so many memories from my “girl” years flood my mind.

First Memories

My earliest memory is my feeling of pride on meeting day to wear my uniform that showed I was a part of something special. It also meant that I did not wear homemade clothes on that day. Being a Girl Scout gave me an extra special feeling the week of Memorial Day when the whole school would walk to the local cemetery to place bouquets of lilacs and garden flowers on the soldiers’ graves. The Scouts would serve as color guard and leaders.

Pride in Country

Girl Scouts is where I remember feeling the meaning of being an American, taking to heart the Pledge of Allegiance, the Girl Scout Promise, and the Girl Scout Law. It is important to me that I learned to honor our national symbols with respect and pride. With this sentiment I served as a member of the honor guard at the Governor’s inauguration ceremony.

Camping

I learned the basics of camping, how to use a jackknife, and how to cook outdoors. I remember earning the money to pay for my Girl Scout jackknife by bagging kindling wood into grocery bags at 2 cents a bag. I carry that jackknife with me to this day.

Attending Girl Scout camp in Washington, Vermont for three years allowed me to meet people from all over the state, country, and world.

Cookie Sales

My Dad played a major part in my memories of cookies. He would not take the order form to work but he was willing to drive me all over town so I could take the orders and deliver 600 to 700 boxes of cookies each year.

Girl Scout Songs

Singing Herman’s Hermits I’m Henry VIII, I Am before, probably during, and after meetings. I’m sure our leaders came to hate that song! I remember singing Girl Scout songs as we traveled, around the campfire, and caroling at the local nursing home.

Badges and Service Projects

One of the first badges I earned as a Brownie was a cooking badge. Going to our leader, Mrs. Bateman’s house to cook and bake was a memorable time because it was the first troop trip we took and her house was so beautiful.

As Cadettes, we learned to skate as a troop. Our leader, Mrs. Butler ran a skate exchange out of her real estate office. She gave away skates to those who couldn’t afford them. I received my first pair from her. (Ice skating on the town commons was the “place to date” when I was growing up.)

The animal shelter was a mainstay of our service projects. What girl doesn’t love a puppy or kitten? Another frequent service project was tray favors that we made for every holiday for the residents of the nursing home.

So many wonderful memories thanks to Mrs. Morrossi, Mrs. Bateman, Mrs. Ainsworth, and Mrs. Butler! As a Girl Scout Leader, I hope that I have been able to leave girls with many good memories and the knowledge that there is a whole cadre of women who care about them like my leaders cared about me.

Claire Campagna Naum, Auburn

I must first tell you, I spent many happy hours being a Girl Scout and was proud to be one of their number. I first learned about Scouting when I was eight years old (1938, ’39, ’40) and had the privilege to go to Camp Wayaka, the relatively new camp for Girl Scouts, located on Thompson Lake. Upon arriving we were assigned to the new cabins according to our age group. Each cluster had its own special name and each cabin housed eight to 10 girls. I still remember many of my cabin mates and the good times we had playing jacks and working on our gimp lariates. Our treasurers were all stored in orange crates next to our beds.

I learned may good things here. How to get along together, how to strive to do my best, respect for my counselors and other campers, how to become self-reliant and to always be on time. We were sent by our parents to have a great time and we did, but we also learned much more. At meals we were seated about 10 girls in a large lodge with a counselor at the head of each table. We ate what was served. Grace was always said and manners were mandatory. Talking was at a minimum and we were excused only when all at the table were finished.

Classes or groups were assigned for different activities on a rotating basis, arts and crafts, swimming, boating, archery, hiking, tennis. I loved it when our cabin was asked to gather wildflowers to decorate the lodge. I learned to name and identify the different species.

Swimming was mandatory on a daily basis. All campers learned to swim. I had already learned to swim before coming so I was put a few levels higher. Swimmers had to pass “the tippy test” before they were allowed in a canoe. You had to paddle alone into waters off shore, but over your head. Then, tuck the paddle under the seats, jump out into the water and straddle the canoe across with your stomach and push with your toes and weight against the bottom edge, pulling the opposite side with your hands until you up-righted the boat. It was not full of water but still floating. You got inside the boat, sat on the bottom full of water and paddled back to shore with your hands. This was a difficult feat at my age and I was very proud when I passed.

Another occasion comes to mind. In the evenings after dinner, we would go back to our respective clusters and sit around the campfire. We would make the fireplace ourselves from medium-sized rocks placed in a circle. We made a slight depression inside and built a fire from branches and twigs we had gathered. We had to rub the sticks together until we got a flame. No matches allowed. We would tell stories and sing songs till it got dark, then Taps was played and off to bed.

I still have the camp pictures of those who attended camp at that session.

Janice Mennealy Nutting, Lewiston

It is with great pleasure that I recall my years as a Brownie, Girl Scout and leader and how it became a seamless part of my life.

I was so proud to wear that uniform to school in preparation for our after school meetings at the Universal Church in my city.

Our meetings started off with the Pledge and recitation of our laws and then to learning new skills, games and songs. Those skills, games and songs I passed on to the children I taught and to my own children.

The Scout laws are still part of my life and I have referred to them for over 60 years. They reinforced my parents, school and church.

Some memories are very strong. I remember a lovely white haired matron opening her immaculate home to us for tea. Mrs. Hoffman laid out beautiful china and silver for a group of clumsy, awkward girls who probably had never seen such beautiful things. I hope she knew how much we later appreciated that. It taught me the importance of being a good hostess no matter who is being entertained. I think of her whenever I go by the street she lived on.

There were winter carnivals, parades, planting trees on Arbor Day and, yes, going door to door to sell cookies. I remember my neighbors welcoming me and eager to buy those cookies. We had cookouts and wrapped sticky dough around sticks–the fire enjoyed that treat more than we did!

I invited my troop to come to my house for a cookout and when I told my father he was pretty upset since we did not have a fireplace. I assured him that he had time to build one–he did!

I must have forgotten the scolding I got because a few years later I volunteered him to be the Scout leader at our church. It was 25 years later that he gave up that position.

Our budget never allowed me to go to camp and how I wanted to go. I got my wish when I became a councilor at Camp Wayaka here in Maine. I worked there for 3 summers. I can still smell the pines, see the boxes of cookies in the closet in the rec room and hear the clatter of dishes as the girls learned to clean up after their meals. My memories of that place go on forever.

Later I became a den mother and a girl scout leader with my daughters.

Girl Scouts helped to make me a better teacher, wife and mother. It filled my life picture in a creative kaleidoscope of colors. Those colors are the colors of joy, love, adventure, learning ,citizenship and honesty. Those colors are brown and green.

My Dutch friend summed this all up when she told me that when the Americans came to liberate her town in Holland she ran home to put on her Scout uniform so she could properly greet them.

Juliette Low did a great thing.

Bunny (Stone) O’Leary, Norway

I lived in the small town of West Paris and we had a girl scout toop. I wished to send a big thank you out to Elaine Emery of West Paris, for she got this group going for us and we had lots of fun and made some really good friends. I believe the girl scout troop I belonged to helped me in many situations over the years. We had weekend camping trips to Littlefield Beaches over Memorial Day weekend. Because we helped rake and get the campgroud picked up over the winter mess we got to camp for free. Before our first time ever camping trip with the troop we made what is called a “sit upon”. which was made with a small peice of oil cloth material. Our leader told us this would help keep us dry when sitting on the ground. I thought she was crazy but it actually worked.! At our camping trip we leaned how to start a fire and keep it going despite what the weather conditions. This is also where I leaned about keeping water by the fire incase the fire got out of hand, we would put soap on the outside of the pots of water that we cooked with over the fire, again, my leader told me they would clean up very nicely at the end of the weekend. She was right again, they cleaned up from the black smoke easier than I thought. How we learned to do our dishes was another mystery to me in the begining. Our leader taught us to make a drawstring bag out of two dishclothes and gathered with a string. In this bag would be our dishes which tuned out to be a “mess kit”.(everything all in one container.) After eating our meals we would take the mess kits and rinse them out the best we could and then dip the bag of dishes into the pot of hot boiling water over the fire and hand the bag up on a tree branch (or sometimes we line strung between two trees) to dry. This was just a few memory’s of the weekend trips.. Another thing our fearless leader told us was we were to take just a sleeping bag, no pillow and all of our clothes were going to be in our sleeping bag. Again, I could not imagine such a thing happening. Well after leaning how to “roll our clothes in our sleeping bag and then use the pillow case to store our clothes and use as a pillow I was once again amazed at our leader.. she taught us responsiblility and accountablilty. I went on to become a Cadet Girl Scout, a swimming counselor at a weekly girl scout camporee for many years. I know alot of girls from the west paris area will remember the camporee’s we had in greenwood. A big field with songs, leaning the outdoors, and sleeping under the stars.

Marie Lavallee Pike, Lewiston

When GS’s celebrated the 50th anniversary, local troops went to Pettingill Park in Auburn for a fun filled day in the snow. We cooked outside and went sliding, skating and had races with other troops.

Every May our troop went to Sebago State Park to camp in tents. Now we are talking very chilly out. SO CHILLY that our buckets of water that were outside our tents froze (I think they thought if we had a fire the buckets of water would save us). We didn’t worry about our food in the coolers, or our food in tupperware because of the ice and snow that was around us. We did our cooking on fires. Nothing like having oatmeal that stuck to your ribs….and I mean that literally…We were the first troop in Lewiston and at that time we were declared Troop number 1. When they redistricted the areas we had the first number again but it was 299.

My mom was the leader and I think that we were a very active troop.

During cookie season we usually won the highest amount of cookies sold. My sister always sold the most cookies and would win a week at Camp Wayaka. My sister loved to go to the camp and as for me…..I went ONCE….enough said.. I miss some of the cookies that they had on the cookie sales. Double fudge filled and vanilla sandwiches. I realized when I read this item on Girl Scout memories that wow time sure does fly by. But nothing changes as far as the scouts go. To be able to do everything that I grew up doing is wonderful for all young girls and young women. I still make sure that I find a scout to buy my annual Girl Scout cookies from.

Thanks for letting me remember all these wonderful memories.

Pamela Poisson, Farmington

I went from a brownie to a cadette Girl Scout in Farmington. There were many lessons learned during those times that have remained throughout the years. Back in the 1960’s it was easy to sell cookies, I was one of the most productive. Not only did my family support me, but I did go door-to-door. Those were the days when you knew everyone and things were more safe for children. We never had to send them to work with our father.

Girl Scount camp was also wonderful. I went for 2 weeks from 10-13 years old and then more a month at 14 years old so I could become a Junior Lifesaver in swimming. Recently I saw a 60 year old woman, and recognized her as being one of my councilors at Kirkwald. You can imagine her surprise as being recognized at this stage of her life.

I feel that Girl Scout teaches invaluable lessons which last a lifetime. Yes I still have my sash with all my badges sewed on them by my now deceased mother.

Jody Pulkkinen, Norway

I began Girl Scouting as a Brownie in Norway Maine, continued in Jacksonville Florida, went on in Norfolk Virigina (my Dad was in the Navy 20 yrs)and had an awesome Girl Soout experience and earned many badges in Guantanamo Bay Cuba from 1966-1970. I continued Girl Scouts when we moved to Brunswick Maine and completed my First Class achievement back in South Paris Maine. My mom was my leader in Cuba and South Paris which was awesome. I loved the adventures I had in Scouting, the skills that I learned, going to Pondicherry in Bridgton, and the friends I made that I still have today. All of the activities I did in Girl Scouts helped me to achieve the confidence and courage I still have.

Peggy Rotundo, Lewiston

Before her death two years ago, my mother paid for a lifelong membership for me in the Girl Scouts. Her very generous gift meant the world to me, because my mother had been a Girl Scout all her life and scouting had been very important to me as a girl and young woman.

In my life I have belonged to many Girl Scout troops, have had the opportunity to attend scout camps during the summers, attended a Girl Scout “Roundup” in Idaho one summer while I was in high school and worked as a counselor at Girl Scout camp. Scouting has had a major impact on my life.

It helped me to believe in myself, and the role models of strong women (like my mother) that I found in scouting helped me to believe that as a woman I could grow up to do anything I wanted to do. Scouting builds confidence, independence and resilience in girls and young women, giving them a sense of their competence and nurturing leadership skills in them. Scouting taught me important lessons in civic and personal responsibility as well as teamwork.

Finally, my camp experience gave me a love of the out of doors and instilled in me the importance of stewardship for our environment. I wish every girl could enjoy the wonderful experience I had in scouting.

Hurray for Juliette Gordon Low!

Long live girl scouting!

Sarah Russell, Mexico

My daughter’s name is Wendy L. Russell and I want to tell you a little bit about her and being and going to Girl Scout camp.

My daughter was a Girl Scout growing up and there are many fond memories. She was top cookie sales person for selling the most cookies and she also went on a trip to Washington D.C. with her troop, but to me, her fondest memories are of CAMP PONDICHERRY, where she went to Girl Scout Camp.

Her first time going was the summer of 1978, she went for 2 weeks. I can remember how nervous we were, me for leaving her for the first time and her for not knowing anyone and what to expect from camp. That was short lived, standing in line to check-in is where she started meeting girls and their families and before long everyone was like old friends. She had 2 beautiful weeks and the day we went to pick her up, she had a new nickname, tons of new girlfriends and her camp counselors. There were so many tears it was so very hard to leave, they all couldn’t wait for the following year.

The following year she went back again and continued right up thru JMG Camp, Junior Counselor and Counselor. She has met girls from all over the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, everywhere and still today remains in contact with a lot of them.

As a grown woman she went there as a counselor, went over to the Women’s Winter Retreat, as a counselor for adult women, she loved being there. During one summer went and did demonstrations for taking care of your hair and nails, she is a licensed Hairstylist, but her profession now is a Para-legal for UNUMPROVDENT IN Portland, Me. She loves her profession and position.

As a mother of 3 boys, she leads a very busy and hectic life. Her boys have even been allowed to go and spend week-ends in the old farm house there with her during mid breaks, they also love it there, like their mom. The big Chalet where they dine, the barn, craft house, boating and swimming, all available to them there. They know the camp director and counselors as well as their mother did.

She hasn’t been over for awhile but still stays in contact with her last director and assistant. Every 4th of July, she and her family meet with them and have a nice outing. She talks about camp all the time and how much fun she had there and how much she loved being there and all her wonderful friends and counselors. Even today when she sees them they still use her nickname. She can’t say enough about what it meant to her to go there, it was the BEST for her. She has wonderful pictures, memories and friends. Lots of times when we are out in the Portland area or anywhere for that matter, she will bump into someone from camp or even a counselor, and they start to talk about there lives now, but they always go back to Camp Pondicherry memories. When some of the girls from abroad come back here, they contact her and make sure they get together, and like she says, E-Mail is great because they are in contact with each other all the time.

I’m fortunate to say that I’m glad that Wendy’s dad and I were able to send our daughter at least once for her to know about camp and that she enjoyed it so much that she wanted to go back again and again and that we could do it for her.

Camp Pondicherry is awesome, from the old farm house, the barn, chalet, craft houses, showers, nurse’s building, to the camp sites here the girls live during their stay, YOU can’t ask for anything better. The STAFF was also great from Camp Director, Assistant Director, Counselors, nurse and caretaker, they were all about the girls, having fun and their safety.

I recommend if for any girl to go at least once and try it. They will love it just as my daughter did and still does to this day.

Dave Sargent, Auburn

My mother, Lona Sargent, was leader of an early Auburn troop – Troop No. 2 and later designated Troop 270 – which she formed in 1928. It first met at the High Street Methodist Church and in later years at the church’s Park Avenue location in Auburn. She went on to lead that troop and continue as a leader and registered member of the Girl Scouts over a period of 60 years. At one time, she was credited with being a leader over the longest period of anyone in the country.

Interestingly, she had no daughters – just my brother Jim and me. When I was four or five, and my brother an infant, we went along on Girl Scout trips to Camp Wyaka in Otisfield, I was told.

Many L-A residents were members of her troops. I meet them often and they remind me that they were Girl Scouts in my mother’s. One I remember mentioning this often is former State Representative Rosita Gagne of the Oxford Hills area.

I think her dedication to Girl Scouting played an influencial role in my life and my brother’s. He became an Eagle Scout in Troop 111 here in Auburn. I didn’t stick with Boy Scouts then, but as an adult, I was a scoutmaster in Raymond.

I also served for a while as a board member of Kennebec Council, so I, myself, was an offically registered member of the Girl Scouts of America. My wife Judy also picked up my mother’s tradition. She was a leader in Portland and Raymond and chair for Sebago Association of Kennebec Council. That included some years when our home was the pickup point for Girl Scout cookie deliveries for several troops, so our house was filled with case after case of cookies stacked to the ceiling. (No free samples, though.)

My father was a big help with her work, but in the background. There were lots of cookouts at our woodlot or farm, and Dad did a lot of preparation for them. I remember hot cocoa on snowy days, but it was prior to the tradition of S’Mores on a campfire.

At one point my mother’s and my wife’s troops were “sister troops” and joined for outings on our Auburn farm.

As youngsters, our daughters Laurie and Susan also were members of the Girl Scouts.

Shannon Plourde, Durham

I was born in 1960 so there were no Daisies that I knew of but I was a brownie in troop 549 in Lisbon Falls with Emily Hill as a leader. Then I moved up to Girl Scouts troop 210 and then became a Cadette! Whatever happened to them? When I was a Girl Scout we took cookie sales so serious! We couldn’t wait to put on our full uniform and go door to door to sell the cookies, then it came time to deliver and that was even fun sorting them all and going back door to door!! We made a night of sorting the boxes with orders. We used to stay home more back then now it seems like folks are always on the road or not home! I do know that the more doings I had for my uniform the prouder I was!! Right down to the fringed tabs inserted at the tops of the knee highs!!

I ended up with troop 549 (my same brownie troop when I was little), when our daughter became a brownie, I became the leader. Had a load of fun with the girls and received so so many hugs every week!! How times have changed however.

Lauren F. Shaw, Greene

I come from decades of scouting. My grandmother was a leader, my mother a scout through her senior year, then a leader for me through cadets, and then I for my daughters from Daisies, through Brownies, Juniors and into one year of cadets. I still have my sash, as does my mother (who is now 68).

I remember when the price of cookies went from $2.50 to $3.00 a box. I lamented to my daughter that when I was a scout and sold cookies, they were only $1.25 a box. “Wow,” my daughter replied, “when Nana sold them, they must have been free.”

Another of my fond memories was a houseful of cookies (waiting to be sorted and delivered to the scouts) and our two miniature poodles eating 14 boxes of the Thin Mints (back when the boxes were wrapped in paper rather than solid cardboard). Boy, were they sick for days.

Then there was the year that we had 35 girls in our troop (I was a leader) and we sold almost 10,000 boxes of cookies. You couldn’t move in my house!

I certainly think today’s new uniforms are better than the brown and orange with a beanie cap that I had to wear!!

Wanda Daley Sienko Smith, Lewiston

One Nine Five Two at Wayaka…Those were the words I still remember when I attended Girl Scout Camp. It was my first time away from home. It was chilly mornings, warm afternoons and cool evenings. I met friends from all over. One gal was from Brunswick and I met her at the Longfellows grade school a couple of times when I was visiting my great grandmother who lived in Brunswick at the time. I hated going from door to door selling cookies. Even today, I don’t like to sell things. Going to Thorngraig was fun using the outdoor fire place cooking samoas and hot dogs. Leona Hendricks was a great leader. If I remember correctly, we met at the United Baptist Church.

My sister-in-law, Natalie Smith McCarthy remembers Geneva Kirk as her leader at the Federated Church (the church in the triangle) She remembers Geneva being a sweet person and going to her house for hot chocolate. This was back in the 1940’s.

My other sister-in-law, Althea Smith Willey remembers Mrs. Petrie. The big thing for her was learning about flower arrangements. To this day, she is always doing flower arrangements and just loves it.

Linda Woodard, my husband’s cousin, did send in an e-mail (with her memories) but it didn’t go through. She told of some experiences but remembers she probably would have had more fun if she was with her Auburn friends. But her mother had her go to the Federated church in Lewiston, which helped her meet more girls her age. She also went to Girl Scout Camp and enjoyed it…That is where I met her before I met my husband.

Laura Vincent, Mechanic Falls

It’s amazing to me that this is the 95th anniversary observance of Juliette Low’s vision. I am of the age that in my experience of being a Girl Scout I remember the 50th anniversary celebration. Being part of Brownies and Girls Scouts was a very positive experience in my life. The “Bridging Ceremony” sticks in my memory as a special event. I grew up in the Air Force and that was one of the few constant things in my life with as much moving around that we did. About the same time as the 50th anniversary I won a scholarship to go to Girl Scout Camp, that was so special to me. My family was at the meeting when I was announced as a winner. I was so proud to have been given that, without it my parents would not have sent me. Selling Girl Scout cookies at that time was done door to door, it was so exciting to have someone say, “Yes, they would take some.” I really enjoyed working toward and earning badges and sewing them on to my sash. I loved looking through the little catalogs of all the different clothes and accessories you could order to show that you were a Girl Scout. I also had the joy of watching my own daughter take part in Girl Scouts for a few years here in Mechanic Falls. Took me back to a long time ago. I’m so glad that the Girl Scouting program has remained and I know through reading and having friends with girls in the program it has certainly continued to strive in giving girls a great avenue of growing and learning and giving back, physically, mentally and spiritually. May they have another 95 years.

Carla Violette, Auburn

I was a Girl Scout during the early 1970’s growing up in Canada. It was a wonderful organization and I enjoyed my time earning badges and learning important lessons in life. I remember going door to door selling Girl Scout cookies for 50 cents a box back then! Camping trips were great and we all learned to cook as it was and survive the elements. Many happy memories.

Alexis White, Leeds

Hi, my name is Alexis I’m now a sophomore in high school and reaching my 10th year of girl scouting in a senior troop from Leeds. Its seems like ever since I began girl scouting in first grade I’ve heard about the legacy that Juliette Gordon Low left behind. Just this past summer our troop finally was able, financially, to journey to Georgia and see where girl scouting began. It was so funny to be in Savannah and see where Juliette once lived and began this organization that not only has greatly impacted my life but so many other girls as well. We visited the First Girl Scout Headquarters and got to stand where she once stood and taught many young girls to be everything the promise and law contains(considerate, caring, courageous, etc.) and more. Its still amazes me to think one woman could spark a movement so grand to change girls lives for 95 years. Her legacy still lives on. Girl scouting has greatly influenced me to become who I am today. I’m confident and proud of who I am. Especially in high school I get the occasional comment that girl scouting’s for ‘little kids’ or that the only thing girl scouts do is sell cookies and learn how to sew. But don’t get me wrong if you what cookies come see me around January, but the label ‘girl scout’ is so much more than that. Its a sisterhood, an organization to give girls a chance to be a part of something that not only greatly helps others but helps us girls to grow and understand everything around us. Girl scouting has given me so many opportunities in my life I may have never had otherwise. Without Juliette’s vision I can’t even imagine where my life would be.

Linda Woodard Troop, Tampa, Fla.

Today I visited my folks. While there I picked up the Girl Scout cookies we bought this year. The cookies brought back a lot of memories of days gone by. I became a Girl Scout in 1948 I think. I still have the handbook and that date is in it. Althea and I belonged to the same troop. It didn’t set the Scout world on fire but I met kids I’d not known otherwise. I can still remember the name of the leader and the troop number, 20 (in Lewiston). I belonged long enough to enjoy Scout camp for a few weeks for a couple summers. I believe that was the first time I’d gone away over night without a relative. I did get to be a Scout First Class and still have the badges I earned to get the First Class rating. I hope Girl Scouts have improved over the years and teach girls relevant things for the world today. Girls have opportunities now that never existed before. Girl Scouting today can make all girls aware of what the future can be for them. Happy Scouting and congratulations on the 95th anniversary of your founding!

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