June 2022
Girlfriends Girlfriends is a publication of Girl Scouts of Nassau County
Share Your Story Early in my four-and-a-half-year tenure as Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Nassau County, I was asked if I wanted to have a CEO patch. I knew the importance of the patch and I knew I wanted the patch to show my love of reading and writing. I also wanted to highlight the importance of having a voice and sharing your story. As a young girl, I was often the “only” in the room and I needed to learn ways to be heard and included. Storytelling became my “craft.” The oral tradition of storytelling makes it possible for a culture to pass knowledge, history, and experiences from one generation to the next. This tradition resonates strongly for me. Storytelling is both “my roots and my wings.” I wanted that for all our girls and my patch is a symbol of that. For each girl I meet and give a patch to, I say the same thing: “Having this patch means when I see you, I will ask you to tell me a story. It could be story about anything, what you did today, what you want to do tomorrow. It can be real or imagined. It is important to use your voice and it is helpful to practice as often as possible.” Prior to the pandemic when we hosted troop tours, girls would come to my office and we would practice a story together. At our 2020 cookie rally I met a Daisy Girl Scout named Summer. I didn’t find Summer, Summer found me. Summer took the storytelling challenge very seriously and has told me several stories, once in the Girl Scout Shop and once on a virtual program. I have heard many stories from Allie and Sammy, depending on the day and who wants to chat. At the Adult Recognitions dinner this year, they were both giddy and excited to chat. I recently met virtually with Brownie Girl Scout, Troop 216 from the BAY Service Unit. The troop was working on the Raise Your Hand patch and we discussed the importance of speaking up and being heard. We ordered 2,000 patches in 2018 and to date I have given out about 1,200 to girls in all sorts of settings. To me, it symbolizes being seen and heard. I am looking forward to giving out more patches over the next several years. As membership year 2022 wraps up, I challenge you to “call in” others. “Calling in” is an opportunity to reflect, understand, explore, and include. I challenge you to ask yourself: l Are you paying attention? l Are you listening to girls’ stories? l Are you engaging and calling them in? l Are you encouraging them to use their voices? l Do they feel included and have a sense of belonging?
Thanks to funding from our new partner, National Grid and their Project C initiative, Girl Scouts of Nassau County is offering a Girl Scout Story Challenge. Stay tuned for more details on our website, OLC, and newsletters about the different elements of the Girl Scout Story Challenge. It will include a Story Telling Workshop, the ability for the girls to submit their stories to council for publication, and the opportunity to tell each other their stories at an open mic night. —RMB
The Traveling Trefoil: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You! The Traveling Trefoil will soon be hitting the road to visit the communities of Nassau County. We will be bringing our Girl Scouts a wide variety of activities that embody the four pillars of Girl Scouting: STEM, Outdoors, Life Skills, and Entrepreneurship. In addition, we will also be providing activities to support girls’ mental wellness and mitigate learning loss caused by the pandemic. GSNC program staff have been working diligently to put together a preliminary schedule of appearances and activities, all while taking the time to learn how to utilize the different features and technology the van has to offer. Once the staff is acclimated, additional opportunities will be opened up for Service Units and troops to request a visit. Details as to when the Traveling Trefoil might be coming to a location near you will be coming shortly and will be posted on our website, the OLC, and monthly newsletters to your homes. If you spot the Traveling Trefoil in the community, stop by and say hello!