Volunteer Spotlight - February
2024 February Volunteer Spotlight: Vicki Farbo
23 Feb 2024
By Kim French, Director of Resource Centers
Congratulations to Vicki Farbo who has been awarded GSNI’s Volunteer Spotlight for February 2024!
As a child, Vicki participated in Girl Scouts until seventh grade as a Cadette. She has many fond memories! This is currently her seventh year of volunteering with Girl Scouts, and she has proudly earned both the Gold President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2022 and GSUSA’s Appreciation Pin in 2023. Vicki has been a leader for Troop 2157, as well as Northern Ogle Service Unit’s Manager and Service Unit Fall Product Coordinator.
Vicki was nominated to receive this Volunteer Spotlight award by her Member Support Specialist Michelle Hicks. Michelle commented, “Vicki has been a Girl Scout volunteer for several years starting when she filled out an interest card at a back-to-school night. She is dedicated to the girls in her troop, helping to provide them with new adventures and a wonderful experience. In 2022, Vicki stepped into the role of Service Unit Manager for the Northern Ogle area at a time when things were very uncertain. She has helped keep the spirits of their leaders up and has brought events back to the service unit. Most recently, the girls in Northern Ogle decorated a tree for Cardinal Christmas and caroled both downtown and at a local nursing home, helping to raise the spirits of their residents.”
Michelle added, “Vicki spreads the word about Girl Scouts, helps with recruitment activities, and is always the first to make troop leaders in her area feel appreciated. Vicki is a rockstar as a leader, and we couldn’t do it without her!”
When asked about her favorite Girl Scout memory, Vicki responded, “I volunteer for Girl Scouts because I enjoyed it as a child, and I wanted my granddaughter to have that same experience. My favorite memory as a Girl Scout was when I was a Cadette, and my troop raised enough money to go to Washington D.C. As an adult volunteer, my favorite moments were as a troop leader when I showed my troop how to use a hobo stove, and they cooked their own breakfast. They were so excited to cook their own food!”
“Our Girl Scouts pick what they want to do, where to donate any of their funds, and the activities they want to do with those funds.” Vicki noted. “They have learned a lot by doing things that some of them didn’t think they could do. Our troop has been very focused on being sisters and when one is down, the others lift them up. They aren’t necessarily good buddies while at school, as life takes us all on different paths. But when attending Girl Scout meetings and events, they are sisters!”
When asked what she would like other volunteers or parents to know about Girl Scouts, Vicki replied, “I wish others could see the look on the Girl Scouts’ faces when they accomplish something they didn’t think they could do or were afraid of doing (think of crate stacking), then they accomplish that and are so pleased with themselves for doing it. It’s happened over and over again through the years with my troop (not just with crate stacking), and it’s wonderful. Those are the best memories!”
Thank you, Vicki. It’s rewarding to have dedicated and caring volunteers like you!
GSNI wishes to thank Patty Donahue and Image Awards Engraving and Creative Keepsakes in Geneva, Illinois, for providing the beautiful tile trivet awards for our Volunteer Spotlight Program.
