Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Kellie Lewis of Highlands Ranch in the Metro Denver region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community.
GSCO asked Kellie 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?
I became a Girl Scout volunteer because my daughter wanted to be a Girl Scout and there was not a troop for her at our school.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
I became the leader of my older daughter’s troop four years ago when they were in first grade and I am still the leader of her troop. I became the service unit manager for Starry Sky Girl Scouts two years ago. I started organizing and running events for the unit last year and this year, I have taken on a lot more because I want to help provide great programming for girls. I also started a Daisy troop for my daughter that is in kindergarten this year.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
I have learned a lot about the Girl Scout program. I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid, but the program has changed a lot since then. Every year, I learn more about the program and I value the organization even more the more I learn. I love that it is girl-led and really helps to shape girls into young women that are responsible, confident, and curious. I love that girls learn how to take risks to become better individuals and leaders in their communities. Every year, I am faced with new challenges and reap new rewards as the girls change, our troop changes, and the families in our troops change. I am also constantly challenged to learn new things and take new risks as I take on new and different roles within the organization. I have gained confidence as a leader, I have learned how to organize successful events, I have made connections in my community, and I am continually learning better and more effective ways to work with others and hopefully inspire others. I have also gained some great friends along the way and it is so fulfilling to watch the girls grow and thrive over the years.
What do you hope girls have learned from you?
I hope the girls have learned and will continue to learn how to be kind, responsible, and passionate individuals who know who they are and aren’t afraid to take risks. I hope they learn that they can make a difference in their communities. I also hope they learn that if they are true to themselves, thoughtful, and hard working that they will lead a fulfilling and happy life that inspires others to do the same.
How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
Girl Scouts is all about being a go-getter and I have always been this kind of person. I think about what I want and what I think the world should be like and I then I do my best to do the things I need to do to go after the life I want and make a difference in my community. Being a Girl Scout volunteer has made me a better innovator because I not only share my ideas, but I have wonderful opportunities to learn from the girls and other adults. Everyone has wonderful ideas. If we take the time to listen and work together, we come up with better ideas and achieve much more than when we work alone. Being a Girl Scout volunteer provides me with a lot of challenges and in my efforts to provide the best for girls, I have gained a lot of confidence and become more of a risk-taker to help them reach their goals. I feel my experience as a volunteer has made me a better leader because I have learned a lot about how to work with lots of different kinds of people, I have gotten much better at letting the girls take the lead and realizing that helping others become better leaders makes me a much better a leader. It really is about teaching and inspiring others.
Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org.
Comentários