Is this the beginning of the end for the Girl Scouts? I sincerely hope not. This worry stems from the ongoing issue with the local Girl Scout hut. The land was given to the local Girl Scouts in 1947, and the Scouts have used the little green building as a meeting space for the past eighty years. Now, however, the Girl Scouts of Central Texas Council, under which the La Grange troops currently operate, wants to sell the property. Currently, the local Scouts are scrambling to figure out who really owns the property and whether local rights were transferred to the Central Texas Council when it merged with other councils.

The sad truth is that, even if the beloved hut is saved, there may not be any Girl Scouts to fill it with laughter, songs, camaraderie, and learning. Currently, there are no elementary school-age girls in scouting in the community at this time.

WHAT’S THE BACK STORY ON THE GIRL SCOUTS?

At a time when women could not vote (1912), Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts to encourage girls to embrace their unique strengths and create their own opportunities. According to the 2021 Girl Scout Alum Fact Sheet:

• More than one in three women in the U.S. belonged to the movement at some point in their life.
• More than 50 million are Girl Scout alums.
• Nearly nine in ten say they are satisfied with their lives today and have successfully met their life goals.
• Alums are civically engaged; 86% are registered to vote, and 73% vote always or nearly always.

Amazingly, over half of female Senators and House of Representatives members are Girl Scout alums.

WHAT THE GIRL SCOUTS DID FOR ME

I’m one of the majority of alumni who count Girl Scouting as a major factor in my life’s trajectory. Through my participation, I developed a love of the outdoors and skills such as fire building, knot tying, first aid, horsemanship, and canoeing. I also learned to lead, mentor, and work in teams. Additionally, I made lifelong friends. These activities gave me confidence that I could take care of myself.

My biggest honor in scouting was attending the 1968 Juliette Low Session at the Rockwood National Girl Scout Program Center in Rockwood, Maryland. Attendees came from all over the world to focus on global friendships, cross-cultural exchange, and collaborative outdoor/community programming.

Scouting gave me my first full-time job as a summer camp counselor. As part of my job duties, I killed poisonous snakes that threatened campers. This skill came in handy this summer when a copperhead took up residence on my porch next to the front door.

While I attended a high school ranked among the largest in the state (almost 2,000 students), the only activities open to females were tennis, band, choir, and the female drum and bugle corps.

Scouting filled a need that could not be obtained elsewhere.

WHY IS MEMBERSHIP IN THE GIRL SCOUTS DECLINING?

Girl Scout membership peaked in 1970, with about 3.2 to 3.9 million youth members. Today, membership hovers around 1 million.

Why the decline? A myriad of reasons are given. Girls have many more activities they can participate in, including sports. Also, troops are led by volunteer parents (both women and men), and, in an era when many women work, finding time to meet can be difficult. The pandemic did not help matters. Sadly, some see Scouting as old-fashioned.

LAST THOUGHTS ON THE GIRL SCOUTS

While I’m sad that more girls aren’t taking advantage of this unique opportunity to grow and change, I’m gratified that they have so many more outlets to express themselves than I ever had.

Oh, and yes, that’s a picture of me in my Girl Scout camp uniform in my senior year in high school!

I’d love it if you’d join me!

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