By Tiffany H., New Daisy Girl Scout Troop Leader

As a new Troop Leader for Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines, I knew that I wanted to create opportunities for my Girl Scouts to give back to the community. I decided that it was time to start planning our troop’s first community service event! Not sure where to start…I begin asking around to find out what opportunities were available for our Daisy Troop.

I was able to find the perfect event through our Area Leader, which was planting flags at our local Veteran’s Cemetery in honor of Veterans Day. As a leader, I saw this is as a great way to show the girls how to honor our heroes and earn their Veteran’s Day activity badges.

I have to say that the event went great! A veteran spoke to the girls, and other participating community groups, about being a solider and serving our country. He explained to all of us how some veterans were alive and some weren’t, but that they all deserved honor. This message really stuck with my girls as they realized that heroes come in many shapes and sizes and are people who fight and serve for the greater good.

As a group we sang the National Anthem and said the Pledge of Allegiance before heading over to plant our flags. As the girls placed flags, they talked about how there were soldiers buried there and how their families must miss them. I was surprised by their understanding and in awe of the honor they showed at such a young age.

Overall, the event was a wonderful opportunity to show the girls the importance of giving back and to celebrate the everyday heroes among us!

For new Troop Leaders looking to plan their first community service project, here are a few tips to get you started!

1. Ask around! You never know where this an opportunity to give back so ask your Area Manager, other leaders, or even your neighbors!
2. Once you have your service project idea, be sure to communicate clearly the time, place, and duration of the event to girls and parents.
3. Indicate the reason and purpose of the event and let parents/girls know if there is an activity badge or if it’s just for the experience.
4. Always be prepared to talk about the event and let your Girl Scouts walk away with a lesson learned a memory to last a lifetime.

What events or service projects are you planning for your troop this year?