By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — While 120 Girl Scouts of the greater Caribou area are celebrating the organization’s 100th Birthday, many area youths are still waiting to join the party.
Contributed photo
One of the many volunteer activities Girl Scouts participated in during 2011 included singing patriotic songs on Armed Fores Day at the Maine Veterans Home in Caribou. Their vocal repetoir included such songs as “This Land is Your Land” and “The Star Spangled Banner.” Shown above are both Scouts and their leaders. Participants included, front row, from left, Krysta Marcoux, Samantha Tourk, Adriana Damboise, Scout Spencer, Hannah White, Rachel Davis, Ciara Richards and JoJo Fields. For more photos of area Girl Scouts, please turn to page 8A.
The organization has declared “2012 is the Year of the Girl,” but between 30 and 40 girls are currently left out of that celebration due to a lack of volunteers of the Diamond Service Unit (or better known as the Diamond Area) — a region encompassing Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Limestone, Washburn, Woodland, New Sweden, Stockholm, Van Buren and smaller, neighboring communities.
Less than a handfull of volunteers is all it will take to get those girls into Scouting.
“If we could get two or three new troops, that would be a great thing,” said Girl Scouts Membership Manager for Aroostook County Wendy Burtchell.
Most girls looking to join troops fall into the Daisy and Brownie categories of Scouting, meaning they’re predominantly kindergartners through third-graders.
“[Girl Scouts] is a great program, and I don’t know how to stress that enough,” Burchell said. “We’re building girls with courage, confidence and character — like our moto says — and I think that in our small communities we need more of that.”
Even though the Diamond Area already has eight troops and the impressive volunteerism of over 30 adults, the number of girls anxiously awaiting their first merit badges far exceeds the number of dedicated leaders and co-leaders currently committed to promoting Scouting.
Diamond Area District Manager Theresa Dube agrees with Burtchell that it’s hard to convey the positive impact Girl Scouts can have on a young lady’s life.
“Girls gain independence and a sence of belonging when they join Girl Scouts, and because they have that positive group experience, they develop leadership skills,” Dube esplained. “Girl Scouts always encourages postive goals and teaches ladies values even at an early age.”
Scouts form solid friendships in their troops, as Dube has seen time and time again.
“The girls really watch out for each other and are always there to support their fellow Scouts,” she said.
While Dube is already a leader of Caribou-based Troops 405 and 709, she explained that there’s peer support available to new leaders in order to help a new troop get on its feet.
“There are seasoned leaders out there who are willing to be mentors at any time,” Dube explained.
Not only does the Diamond Area have a large number of Scouts, Burchell says that the organization has great retention of Scouts “because we have a wonderful retention rate for leaders.”
“The problem now is that leaders are streched to the max and we need new leaders to step in and help out,” Burtchell added.
Becoming a Girl Scout Troop Leader is a three-step process which Burtchell explained is very similar to a job application. The first step is filling out a volunteer application, the second step is receiving an acceptance letter and the third step is officialy joining the Girl Scouts of America, which includes a $12 membership fee.
Leaders must be over 18 years old.
“Anybody in the community that wants to make a difference in girls’ lives can volunteer to become a troop leader, whether they’re grandparents, aunts, uncles or simply community residents who want to make a difference in their own towns by volunteering,” Burtchell said.
Troop sizes range from 10 to 12 members, depending on the number of adult leaders and the Scouts’ ages.
Many troop leaders and co-leaders of the Diamond Area will agree that time spent volunteering with the Girl Scouts is rewarding.
“In Aroostook County, our leaders receive a lot of satisfaction from their work and a feeling that they’re doing something for the girls and for their communities, because when they’re working with the girls and fixing up a flower bed at a nursing home, they’re making a difference, too,” Burchell said.
Volunteer opportunities exist even for those who can’t commit to a full year of Scouting; when the opportunity presents itself, GSA offers a series program that runs from four to six weeks, one day a week.
During that time, a volunteer can help aspiring Scouts learn about a specific trade or activity. For example, if a community volunteer specialized in cake decorating, they could offer future Scouts a positive learning experience and an extracurricular social environment discovering the process cakes undergo from flour to frosting.
“Series programs at least afford girls the opportunity to participate in fun experiences while they’re waiting for a troop,” Burtchell explained.
For additional information about the Girl Scouts of America or to learn more about volunteering, visit or contact Burchell at 551-1193.
