Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Molly Wieser of Durango in the Southwestern CO region is a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community.
GSCO asked Molly 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 girl to have an alternate social group, a refuge from school. My troop leader and a couple of my troop members are still my friends.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
I helped lead in year one, became primary troop leader since then, and cookie manager by year three. Now, I support our service unit just a bit as well.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Make space for supplies you need to keep at your house. It’s not going away. Girls change over time. The challenging ones are honing assertiveness and leadership skills and soon they will let/force you to sit down while they create and execute plans. Other troop leaders are very deep people.
What do you hope girls have learned from you?
They have to talk to each other to get what they want, not ask the “authorities.” And, they can want what they want, even if they can’t have it right now.
How has your experience as a volunteer helped you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
I was already kind of zippy, to be honest. Girl Scouts for me is an opportunity to be present to girls over time, just be there. I can make mistakes and get a chance to get better, and keep practicing letting them solve their own problems together. It’s such an honor.
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.