Girl Scouts hold veterans event
By Dina Harding
Special to the Star-Herald
PRESQUE ISLE — The Girl Scouts of Presque Isle Troop 1137 recently conducted a Veterans Day Flag Ceremony held at the Leisure Village Retirement Center in Presque Isle. The special event was planned by Troop Leader Dina Harding and was coordinated with Leisure Village’s Activities Director, Tina Ruest.
The eight participating Daisy, Brownie, Junior, and Ambassador-level Girl Scouts conducting the ceremony were trained and guided by Girl Scout Troop 1137 leaders Harding and Roxanne Poole, along with Adult Girl Scout Member, Melissa Dyer.
Photo courtesy John Harding
Girl Scouts from Presque Isle Troop 1137 visited Leisure Village and presented a flag ceremony for the residents there on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Pictured from left, front row: Brownie Girl Scouts Lily Hanks, Eva Callioras, and Courtney Harding; next to residents and veterans Elwood Hand, Wayne Sharp, and David Churchill; then Junior Girl Scout Josalyn Wark, Brownie Girl Scout Madyson Wark, and Daisy Girl Scout Amelia Dyer. Back row: Troop Leaders Dina Harding and Roxanne Poole, Ambassador Girl Scout Abigail Poole; next to residents and veterans Phil Chase, Bertrand Pelletier, Larry Cronkite, and Roger Oaks; then Brownie Girl Scout Lexee McKinney, and Adult Girl Scout Member Melissa Dyer. Girl Scouts who were absent from the event were Brownies Caroline Brown, Jeanna Knight, Allison Morton, and Daisy Sophia Morton.
The purpose of the event was to honor and show respect for all those who have served our country, and to teach the Girl Scouts the importance of appreciating our liberties today by remembering and honoring all those who have served our country, as well as to recognize those who have endured having loved ones serve, also. In the words of B.K. Boreyko, an American CEO, “The men and women of the armed forces sacrifice precious time with their families. Many times, their love of country puts them in harm’s way, all so that we can live in peace. They choose to serve and stand ready for duty whenever they are called, wherever they are needed. Their bravery and determination make the American Dream possible. Today, we recognize their sacrifices and celebrate their patriotism. For their heroism, service and dedication, these extraordinary Americans deserve to be honored.”
The Girl Scout ceremony started off with a formal Color Guard involving all participating Girl Scouts entering into the main gathering room where over 50 people were present. The Color Guard was led by Brownie Girl Scout, Lexee McKinney, who officially brought the group into the room, and who directed the girls in the positioning of their flags. The Girl Scout in Charge was Brownie Girl Scout Lily Hanks, who announced the start of the ceremony and who asked for participation from the residents in saying, “The Pledge of Allegiance.”
Troop Leader Harding then gave a formal greeting, followed by a brief speech to the residents of Leisure Village, which started off by acknowledging that “today is officially Veterans Day, and the date today is interestingly designated this year as 11-11-11.” “Few people today may actually be aware, that this same day in 1918 was when WW I ended. It is known as Armistice Day, when the guns went silent on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. But today, we celebrate this day as Veterans Day, which is a day when we honor all of those who either have served, or still are serving our country, defending our freedoms and protecting our lives, as well as sacrificing precious time with their own families so that we can enjoy ours.”
At the flag ceremony, Harding said: “While Thanksgiving is a day when we pause to give thanks for the things we have, Veterans Day is a day when we pause to give thanks to the people who fought, or are still fighting for, the things we have. Things such as freedom do have a cost, and this Presque Isle Girl Scout Troop is here tonight to honor, as well as show our respect and sincerest gratitude to all those who have in the past, or who are now currently serving our country, and thereby contributing to preserve such things as our freedom.” Harding then quoted Winston Churchill who said: “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” She further stated that, “We’d like to acknowledge aloud this message to all those who have served in the armed services, their parents and grandparents, their children, and their spouses, ‘Thank You!’.” Everyone then paused to take a moment of silence and prayer together to honor all veterans.
Immediately afterward, Troop Leader Poole introduced herself, along with each of the members of the Presque Isle Girl Scout Troop 1137, requesting that each member gently wave her flag, as she proceeded to call their names. After the introductions were made, each girl then shared the names, positions, and service era of relatives in her own family who have served, or in some cases are still serving, as American veterans.
The ceremony continued with the girls reciting the Girl Scout Promise, which was led by Brownie Girl Scout Eva Callioras, followed by the sharing of The Girl Scout Law, which was led by Junior Girl Scout Josalyn Wark. Next, the Girl Scouts started the singing of three songs, which were selected to epitomize American patriotism, with Harding requesting that everyone feel free to join in with the singing. The first song, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” was led by Brownie Girl Scout Madyson Wark, who was followed by Ambassador Girl Scout Abigail Poole, who began the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner.” The final patriotic song was “God Bless America,” which was started by Harding. It was well recognized by everyone present that the singing came deep from the heart, and the room was filled with highly charged emotions that night. The singing continued by the girls presenting two Girl Scout favorite songs: “Something In My Pocket”, led by Brownie Girl Scout Courtney Harding, and “Make New Friends,” led by Daisy Girl Scout Amelia Dyer.
The flag ceremony and presentation concluded with all of the Girl Scouts posing together for some official photographs with any veterans present who wished to do so. A special ‘thank you’ is extended to Webelos Cub Scout, Colton Harding, of Presque Isle Pack 171 for handing out American flags to the veterans who gathered for the photographs for this honorary occasion. Each Girl Scout then took the time to personally meet and introduce themselves, and to thank the attending residents for allowing us to join them on Veterans Day in their facility.
A Troop display board with many photographs of all of the community service and fun activities that the girls had participated in over the past year was also shared with the residents of Leisure Village, and plans were confirmed for the Girl Scouts of Troop 1137 to return again for a night of fun with the residents, playing Bingo together in December.
