18 | Family! HERITAGE PUBLISHING, INC. © 2012

Girl ScoutLegacyJoani

Grandma Callie

One of more than 100 pieces ofmemorabilia spread out on thedining room table, the book

brings back cherished childhoodmemories for Joani, but the sororityorganization is more than campfires,badges and s’mores to her; it’s a legacy.

Joani’s Grandma Callie qualified forthe first rank in scouting, Tenderfoot, in1928, unmindful of the generations thatwould follow in her footsteps—not onlythe young women in her family, butmillions of other girls throughout thecountry and around the world.

Now celebrating 100 years, the GirlScouts of the United States of Americaempowers girls through enrichingexperiences, skill development and thecamaraderie of other girls.

Grandma Callie’s involvement withthe organization began just 16 years afterfounder Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low ofSavannah, Ga. organized a group of 18young women into the first troop inMarch 1912. Originally called American

Girl Guides, Low hatched the idea offorming a group for young ladies aftervisiting Sir Robert Baden-Powell, thefounder of the Boy Scouts and GirlGuides in England. She dreamed oftaking girls from isolated homeenvironments into the outdoors, wherethey could learn self-reliance andresourcefulness.

A dream Joani’s mother, Margaret,shared eagerly. “My mother was quiteadventurous,” Joani says, holding a blackand white print of Margaret riding on anelephant’s back. “I have no idea what shewas doing up there.”

Both Joani’s grandmother and motherwere involved in the Girl Scouts for morethan 40 years, taking particular interest inorganizing mariner troops in Long Island,N.Y. e Girl Scout Mariner Programwas designed for older girls who wereinterested in water-based activities.

Supporting the interests of youngwomen is a major focus for theorganization, second only to helping themdiscover new interests. Members earn

“Make new friends, but keep the old. One issilver, the other is gold,” Joani Maskell sings asshe pours over the vintage Girl Scout songbookEmbers, circa 1974. “I love the songs.”

badges by exploring any number of topicsfrom cooking to financial literacy to waterconservation.

“We give girls the opportunity to learnby doing,” says Nancy White, Girl Scoutsof Gateway Council Director ofCommunications. e hope is that girlswill choose to earn a badge based on theirpersonal interests. e requirements toearn a badge vary based on subject matter,but activities can include meeting withpeople in the field of interest, performingrelated hands-on activities and reflectingon what they have learned by writingessays.

Recognizing from her own experiencethat the Girl Scouts helps shape youngwomen’s lives, Joani was eager to get herown daughter involved at an early age.Named after her great grandmother,Callie, the fourth generation of Palmerfamily Girl Scouts, has fond memories ofthe girls who were in her troop all the wayfrom Brownies to Seniors. “I remembermaking s’mores in the microwave. eyblew up.”

By Laura Hampton

HERITAGE PUBLISHING, INC. © 2012 Family! | 19

As one of the leaders for Callie’s troop,Joani helped organize activities to keep thegirls engaged. Some were just for fun, liketrips to Disney World and Juliette Low’shome in Savannah. But others wereintended to help the girls exploreprofessional options.

“I got to actually go into a hospital andsee an open heart surgery and kneesurgery,” Callie says. Although she choseeducation over medicine as a profession,the experience made a lasting impressionon her. “It was amazing. Unless you’re adoctor or nurse you don’t get to see whatit’s all about.”

Although Callie has fond memoriesfrom the troop’s outings and adventures,the most unforgettable experiences for herwere the times the group organized effortsto help others.

Callie’s troop volunteered to clean atB.E.A.K.S (Bird Emergency Aid andKare Sanctuary) off Heckscher Drive,painted buildings in the community andvisited homeless shelters at Christmastimeto play games and do crafts with thechildren.

“Giving back—I think that’s the mainthing,” Callie says. “ere are alwayspeople that you can help.”

A self-proclaimed shy child, Calliecredits the organization with helping herbond with other girls. rough the yearsshe and fellow troop members formed asisterhood. “One of the girls was in mywedding.”

e young ladies have all grown intowomen and moved on to lead full lives.Joani beams proudly as she recounts theaccomplishments of each—one’s inphysician assistant school, one is gettingher Ph. D., one’s in law school… “I’m veryproud of all of them.”

To Joani, the girls she lead throughvarious stages of growth and discoveryare more than childhood companionsfor her daughter, they are family—herGirl Scout family—millions strong,thanks to pioneers who dreamedof giving young women theopportunities to go out into theworld and explore who theywanted to be—pioneers likeJuliette Gordon Low, MotherMargaret and GrandmaCallie.

DaughterCallie’s Vest

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Margaret’sGirl ScoutMemories