By Sarah Opdahl

Have a daughter who is interested in Girl Scouts? Now is a great time to raise a hand and sign her  up for fall. A program that begins in kindergarten and runs through high school, with entry points along the way, Girl Scouts are provided with a multitude of unique opportunities that have wide-ranging benefits in their lives. As a former leader for a dozen years, I can attest to the fact that the current New Fairfield Service Unit is continually resetting the bar, with highly engaged troops participating in and creating a myriad of experiences that are hard to match in extracurricular offerings.

Girl Scout Service Unit Managers Elisa Beckett-Flores, Cortni Muir, and Kim Reichert are happy to point out the many benefits of being a Girl Scout, including being introduced to character-building and knowledge-growth curriculum through the exploration of topic areas such as STEM, engineering, finance, entrepreneurship, public speaking, conflict resolution, outdoor survival skills, cooperative learning, and so many more. Through focused meetings and activities, troops promote both physical and mental well being by providing a safe and encouraging environment where girls can share experiences, celebrate successes, and develop a sense of belonging.  Parents should know that each of the twelve current troops in New Fairfield is different and span grade levels, and most have room for new members. Reichert explained, “Meetings are typically one to two hours in length. The meetings are ‘drop off’ events, where the adults are not required to stay.  And the meetings are generally based on earning badges or having new experiences.”

In addition to meetings, troops take part in a host of outings, gaining more in frequency and range as the girls get older. Locally, there are also numerous opportunities to provide community service, including flag replacements at the local cemeteries and flag collections for flags to be retired; many clean up projects; and the chance to help provide families in need with baskets of essentials for Thanksgiving. Troops have also worked with the New Fairfield Land Trust to provide valuable information and feedback for New Fairfield residents about the hiking and outdoor spaces in town, given that the trails are heavily trod by the girls. Participation in the 4th of July Parade is a joy, and there are also strong relationships in place with the New Fairfield Senior Center and many of the local churches. As the girls get older, the world is open to them with trips near and far ready for the taking.

Troops take part in a variety of activities, and decisions are gir- led.  In fact, girl-led programming is essential to the Girl Scout experience, empowering the girls to have confidence in their decisions and build teambuilding skills. Leaders are happy to follow their lead, helping to facilitate plans and supporting conversations so that every voice has an opportunity to be heard. “One thing I always try to help girls understand is you don’t have to be best friends with everyone, but you have to be respectful and learn how to handle different situations that make everyone feel like they belong. We try to really live by the idea of being a sister to every Girl Scout,” Reichert shared. Active as always, this year troops have done cake decorating classes, a chocolate factory tour, painting parties and jewelry classes at The Pottery Factory, animal encounter visits with Kritter Kreations, Llama hiking, visits to the firehouse, spa nights, and many more.

There are also events available for all New Fairfield scouts to join, including the Halloween Dance, Friendsgiving, Winter Ball, Caroling at Glen Hill Nursing Home, World Thinking Day Celebration, Family Day at Great Hollow, Duck Pin Bowling, Ice Cream at Twisters, She and Me Tea, and the service unit’s annual favorite—Camporee. Muir shared, “This was our second year of camping in tents at the annual camporee. This experience allows girls to learn more about their likes and what they are capable of.  Sleeping in tents can be intimidating. It is not a favorite for everyone and that is something that often has to be learned. By trying a new experience the girl learns more about herself and has the chance to make informed decisions going forward.” She emphasized, “As a leader, I love seeing girls try new things that they wouldn’t have tried without being in Girl Scouts.”

There are fundraisers, of course, such as the famous cookie sales in the spring, plus there are Treats and Read sales in the fall for subscriptions, snacks, and personal items. A bonding experience, there is nothing quite like the delightful “booth sale” experience of selling cookies as a troop.

In addition to the traditional troop experience of Girl Scouts, there is also a Juliette program which allows girls in Kindergarten through 12th grade to participate in Girl Scouts independently with a parent or guardian to help complete activities, badge work, and more. Beckett-Flores noted, “In New Fairfield, we have two active Juliettes.  They have the option to join us in service unit events and also attend the plethora of activities provided by Girl Scouts of Connecticut.  This is a great opportunity to remain in scouting as an older member.  Oftentimes, the high school levels have high demands of their time and being a Juliette allows them to have the flexibility to remain in Girl Scouting.”

As new members join, of course, new leaders are also needed. “We are always looking for new leaders, registered volunteers, and adults that would like to share expertise with the troops,” Beckett-Flores said, going on to say, “Our local Service Unit is composed of leaders that are happy to help new leaders explore the resources available to them from Girl Scouts.”

Recruitment events are shared by the school in the weekly newsletter in the fall and often shared on the Facebook community pages.  “We are always open to helping the girls and their adults find a home in our Service Unit,” Beckett-Flores said.

If Girl Scouts sounds like a fun adventure for your family, especially your daughter, simply raise a hand about participation by visiting Gsofct.org, and feel free to email newfairfieldgirlscouts@gmail.com with any questions.