Since 1912, millions of women have had their lives positively influenced—sometimes even transformed—by their Girl Scout experience. If you are one of the 50 million women who were Girl Scouts as a girl, or if you were a volunteer or a staff member who worked at the national or local level to help Girl Scouts become leaders at home and in their communities, you are forever connected to a rich and vibrant movement.
Stay Connected, Change a Girl’s Life
As Girl Scout Alumnae, you know firsthand how transforming a positive program can be in a girl’s life. Whether or not you are actively involved with Girl Scouts at this time, NYPENN Pathways wants YOU to be part of our Alumnae stories.
I Learned Independence
In India Girl Scouts are known as Girl Guides (GG). When I was around 11, I joined GG and was the only one in my neighborhood. My GG meetings were held on Saturday morning. The name of my group was the King Fisher and there were 8 King Fisher girls in my group. There were 4-5 similar groups in the unit with a name of a bird.
As a young girl of 11, I was determined to attend these meetings all by myself and without the help of my parents. Therefore I learn to use public transportation to get to my GG leader’s house. I remember it was quite a long distance. First I had to walk by myself to the tram (trolley) station, ride in the tram most of the way, and then walk to my leader’s house. I left home very early in the morning to avoid the rush.
After arriving at my leader’s home, I would ring the doorbell and wake everyone up! Yes, it would be around 7 in the morning on a Saturday! After a few weeks it became a joke in the family that it must be ‘that girl’ every time they heard a bell ring on a Saturday morning!
Girl Guides taught me to be come independent. I loved those Saturday morning trips and I felt proud that I could manage the pubic transportation system better than most of my friends. At age 16 I came to the United States in a ship, as an exchange student (American Field Service – AFS program) and spent a year living with a family in El Segundo, California, finishing my high school. I believe that my Girl Guides training of being independent gave me the courage to take this journey halfway around he world and live away from my parents and siblings in a foreign country.
Today my granddaughter is a Daisy Girl Scout and her mother (my daughter) also was a Girl Scout and took part in selling Girl Scout cookies and attended Girl Scout camps.
Gool Mehta
Central New York/ Syracuse
3 years a Girl Guide in India
Come-As-You-Are Breakfast
You never know. Once the girls grow older and move beyond your Girl Scout troop, you never know if or how your efforts impacted them. I was never a girl member, but my daughters’ leader, Diane Hughes, impacted my life by inviting me to become a GS leader. I jumped at the chance.
One of my fondest memories was organizing a Come-As-You-Are Breakfast. First we told all the parents the plan to surprise the girls at 6 AM on the designated Saturday. After each sleeping girl was awakened, she was allowed only to go to the bathroom before she was escorted to the car wearing literally whatever she slept in.
As the girls piled into the car you could hear the giggles as they saw the others dressed in pajamas or sweats, or in the clothes from the day before. Once a girl was tagged, she got to wake up the next Girl Scout. This added to the fun and assured the come-as-you-are affect. Breakfast was eggs and pancakes and then we watched the blockbuster movie “Troop Beverly Hills.” It was great fun.
Now, more than 20 years later, I occasionally run into one of the girls, now a young adult with her own children. She will often reminisce about that come-as-you-are breakfast and tell me what a great time she had. Wow! I guess I had an impact on her; maybe she will plan a come-as-you-are breakfast for her daughter. You never know.
Cathy Kozlowski
Binghamton
24+ years a Girl Scout,
only as an adult
View additional alumnae stories.
Judi Zeamer
Bev Crim
Do you have a favorite memory of being a Girl Scout? ♦ What has Girl Scouts meant to you? ♦ How have you benefitted from your Girl Scout years?
Tell us your story! Contact the History and Archives Committee by e-mail. If you prefer standard mail, send your information to
History and Archives Committee
Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, Inc.
PO Box 2145
Binghamton, NY 13902-2145
Visit the official GSUSA Alumnae Association Page and register as a Girl Scout Alumnae. Once you register you can send ecards, share stories and become a member of the alumnae mailing list!
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Support the organization that brought you so much, giving you the foundation to build your life upon. To find out more about lifetime membership, contact the Community Development Manager for your area.