Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state in honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month. Rachael TerLouw of Grand Junction 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 Rachael 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?
Girl Scouts has always been a meaningful part of my life. As a girl, Girl Scouts was a place where I thrived as an individual. I loved the friendships, badge work, trips, and earning my Gold Award. I knew I wanted to provide those same opportunities to other young women.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
While in college, I volunteered with a local troop and knew I wanted to continue volunteering when I moved to Colorado. Since 2003, I have been an assistant troop leader, troop leader, troop cookie manager, service unit manager, events organizer (including Western Slope 100th Anniversary event), and Gold Award mentor.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer?
Girls are unique! Yet, they have similar goals in Girl Scouts. They are looking for a place to feel valued, make a difference, and where they can pursue their dreams. While these dreams might be different, Girl Scouts can provide those girls with a personalized experience and lasting friendships.
What do you hope the girls have learned from you?
I hope the girls I’ve supported through Girl Scouts pursue their passions and discover new ones, are brave and try new experiences, and look to lead others forward. Ultimately, I hope they see the world as bigger than themselves. I’ve tried to instill a love of travel and new experiences in all the girls I’ve supported. Some of my proudest moments are seeing girls achieve their dreams or overcome their fears such as sleeping away from home for the first time, getting on a horse, or leading a Public Speaking badge because it was something they were afraid of, but wanted to conquer that fear. Finally, service to others has been a cornerstone goal in my mentoring of girls. This includes supporting girls through community service and Take Action projects, leading to Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. Being on the Gold Award committee is incredibly rewarding, and I am inspired by these young women and their passion to make a difference. If girls look back at the friendships, skills, experiences, and service learned from Girl Scouts and want to give that back to the next generation of girls, then I’d say my time in Girl Scouts was well spent.
How has your experience as a volunteer help you become a G.I.R.L?
Girl Scouts has given me the opportunity to try things I might never have experienced otherwise. Girl-chosen adventures have led me to take girls backpacking, canoeing in Boundary Waters, rafting, horseback riding, and on the streets of Washington D.C. and New York City. I’ve tried rock climbing, woodworking, digital movie making, art of different kinds, stargazing, and countless other badge related skills. To help girls achieve their dreams, I’ve had to ask community members for support, something out of my comfort zone, as well as brave hours of booth sales talking to customers, another challenge for me. Several years ago, I chose to go back to school to pursue a career dream of mine, and I believe Girl Scouts gave me the courage to do so. Girl Scouts has given me the opportunity to meet and connect with many adults, and I appreciate those relationships and our shared connection to improving the world, one girl at a time.
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.
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