Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state. Mercedes Coleman in the Pikes Peak region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community.
GSCO asked Mercedes 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 wanted my daughter to experience Girl Scouts, and we joined a starter troop that didn’t have any leaders to turn into a permanent troop. Growing up, when I was in Girl Scouts, my mom was actually my troop leader, so I thought it would be a fun way to be involved in character development with my daughter.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
I am a troop leader and focus on the Brownie programming (soon to be moving to Juniors!) and handle our troop monthly newsletter and email correspondence.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
I’ve learned that the very best of humanity lies in the heart of a Girl Scout. I’ve learned that our girls are more able to pivot on business plans during catastrophic events such as COVID-19 than some established businesses run by grown-ups. I’ve learned that with volunteering for Girl Scouts, I will always leave with a full bucket and hope for our future. Whenever I feel like the world is a selfish place, I only need to hang out with some Girl Scouts to feel a little bit better.
What do you hope girls have learned from you?
I hope my girls have learned that kindness is cool. I hope they’ve learned to be proud and unafraid of who they are on the inside and to remain true to themselves. I hope they carry lessons of empathy with them and the fire to create change throughout the rest of their entire lives.
Nominate an exceptional volunteer for a Volunteer Award! Nominations are open April 1-June 30, 2022