Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Deena Buffington of Gunnison in the Western Colorado region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community.
GSCO asked Deena to answer a few quick questions about her volunteer experience. We hope you find her as inspiring as we did.
Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer?
My youngest daughter wanted to join Girl Scouts and the troop here in Gunnison is parent and girl-led and they needed volunteers.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
I have been helping lead the troop since 2016 and started as the Fall Product Program Manager and Cookie Manager in the 2018/2019 seasons.I now serve as the fall product, cookie, and service unit manager. We are a small town and small community, so many people take on several roles.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
I have learned how to handle many different situations, personalities, and ways of dealing with them all. There have been so many funny, fun, and interesting situations. I’ve learned a lot about different troops and people who have been Girl Scouts at one point in their lives.
What do you hope girls have learned from you?
I hope the girls have learned hard work, life skills, fun crafting, traveling, and also dealing with different personalities and situations. My favorite time was last year when we took the troop on a cruise… to see the excitement in the girls’ eyes as some of them had never been on a plane much less a cruise ship. It was great to share that excitement and fun with them.
How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
There is so much that goes into everything from planning a meeting to taking care of cookies, start to finish. It’s fun to help girls set goals and help them achieve them.
Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org.
The nomination deadline for 2020 Volunteer Recognition Awards is April 30. GSCO invites members statewide to take this opportunity to recognize an outstanding volunteer by nominating them for a Volunteer Recognition Award. Nominators are responsible for ensuring enough endorsements are submitted to support their nomination of a volunteer for an award. Your volunteer support specialist can check nomination and endorsement submissions for you. Learn more.