Olympia, Washington. What a day. It was snowing in Vancouver when we left, but we didn’t cancel. One Brownie was up at 3 a.m. according to her mother - she was so excited to be part of making history. We were going to the capitol to watch the state legislature adopt a proclamation to declare 2012 the Year of the Girl. We had five girls - four Girl Scout Brownies and 1 Junior, and three leaders from two troops.
It was amazing. It was so inspiring to hear the legislators talk about when they were Girl Scouts and what it did for them in their life. I cried - it was so touching and inspiring the way we have been touching girl’s lives. Then they voted and not one person was against adopting the Proclamation of 2012 being the Year of the Girl.
We were invited, and escorted down the secret marble staircase that took us to the legislative floor below. There we got our picture taken by the official photographer which will be attached to the proclamation. We were then invited to the caucus room to meet many of the legislators. Each girl was asked to introduce herself , and say where she was from.
It was an honor and privilege to represent the Girl Scouts at this historic event. However, what I was most amazed at were two things: first, the way the girls at such an early age were so comfortable talking to law makers. The second almost makes me cry just thinking about it. As we toured the building, there were an amazing number of women that came up to us and said that they were Girl Scouts as a girl, I would always respond with, “Once a Girl Scout, Always a Girl Scout” and we would share a friendship smile.
What I realized was that in a place like this, with legislators and law makers at the state capitol, there was such a high concentration of women who had been touched by Girl Scouts. That what we do as Girl Scouts, as Girl Scout Leaders, and Girl Scout Alumnae - we are giving girls what they need to be successful women, we are teaching them leadership, and encouraging girls become women of courage, confidence and character.
