GSNI’s Circle of Friends Service Unit celebrated Girl Scouts’ 110th Birthday with a sing-along at Camp Dean on Saturday, March 12, in Dean Lodge. Approximately 50 Girl Scouts and adults attended! Special guests included Sylvia Shaff, former President of GSNI legacy council Girl Scouts Fox Valley Council, GSNI Historians Peggy Bartelt and Karen Tatlock, and Troop 865, Circle of Friends’ newest Daisy troop!
Attendees donated $1.10 to the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund to decorate luminary bags lining the walk outside Dean Lodge in honor of past and present Girl Scouts. Troop leader and Circle of Friends Events Director Robin says, “I included bags for my grandmother who started four generations of Girl Scouts in our family, and my late father who was a Girl Scout for almost 40 years and helped make Girl Scouts possible for so many girls besides his three daughters.”
Troops took turns leading camps songs and songs about Girl Scouts. Then all participants made a Friendship Circle and sang Melinda Carroll's "In a Circle Light a Candle" in a moving Rededication Ceremony. Robin says, “There were only a few dry eyes in the group by the time all of the candles were finally lit!”
The group also conducted a flag retirement ceremony for a faded and worn American flag by cutting apart the stripes, distributing them to each Girl Scout to take outside and place into the campfire as the names of the original 13 colonies were read. Lastly, members of Cadette/Senior Troop 4785 placed the field of stars over the fire as everyone sang "America." The event ended with the singing of "Taps" around the campfire.
What a meaningful way to celebrate this important birthday in our Movement’s history! Thank you to everyone who attended Circle of Friends’ special event and to the service unit for hosting such a significant gathering for Girl Scouts’ 110th birthday.
