Girl Scout Sunday: Reverence and Reflection

Day 3 of the Poppy Patrol’s adventure in Savannah for Girl Scouts’ 100th anniversary weekend:

Most of the Poppy Patrol needed a sleep-in, but one intrepid Girl Scout, namely Becky, went to the Girl Scout Sunday morning gathering at Christ Church Episcopal, the home church of Juliette Gordon Low. The congregation and ministers made the worship service special for the historic event and the hundreds of Girl Scouts who arrived in many generations of vintage and contemporary uniforms. And for refreshments afterward—what else?—Girl Scout cookies galore!

The Poppy Patrol united for lunch and an afternoon of city-walking. We attended the 3 p.m. Girl Scout Sabbath celebration at Mickve Israel, the historic Jewish congregation that has been involved in Girl Scouting from the beginning with Juliette Low. Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, was the featured speaker, and the program included a variety of songs and readings typical of a Scouts’ Own, but also traditional Jewish blessings. The Poppy Patrol was quite taken with "Eagle One's" passionate expression of the meaning of Girl Scouting. After the program, we were able to greet Mrs. Chavez, exchange SWAPS, and pose for a picture. The congregation provided afternoon tea, including oatmeal cookies made from a historic Girl Scout cookie recipe!

In the evening, the Poppy Patrol held our own Investiture and Rededication. We set up in one of our rooms where we could sit at a couch and chairs around a coffee table set with flameless candles (Girl Scouts are safety-wise!), a miniature flag set, an arrangement of daisies and greenery, and a display of membership pins and 100-year pins. Our traditional program included songs, sharing of what Girl Scouting has meant to us, and reciting of the Promise and the Law. We invested Carissa, rededicated ourselves to all that Girl Scouting means, and formed a Friendship Circle. We sang “Day Is Done,” and made the friendship hand-squeeze all around.

Answer to Poppy Patrol Pop Trivia Question #2: The only four Senior Girl Scout Roundups took place in between 1956 and 1965 in Milford, Michigan; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Lake Champlain in Vermont; and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

A quick video with Anna Maria Chavez (AKA "Eagle One"), CEO of GSUSA!