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Girl Scout World Thinking Day
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| The Girl Scouts are very dear to me. I spent 8 years as girl
scout myself. Then I had 2 girls of my own. Then I spent 16 years
as a leader. From the time they were in second grade Mom had to be
a leader. Sometimes I had 2 troops at one time. My oldest daughter,
Judi, "flew up" to junior scouts leaving my younger girl, Jean, in Brownies.
After much begging from both girls, I kept the Brownie troop and "flew
up" with Judi also. This continued until Jean "flew up" But
then it was time for Judi to move to Cadettes. Guess what - Mom had
to have 2 troops again. Now it was Juniors and Cadettes. Then
Jean moved into the Cadette and soon Judi was moving into Seniors.
I then had Cadette and Senior Troops. For the last 2 years of scouting
I finally had one troop - Seniors. Then my girls graduated
from high school and our scouting days were over. |
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| World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at the fourth Girl
Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA's
Camp Edith Macy (now called Edith Macy Conference Center). Conference attendees
decided that there should be a special day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides
all around the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation
to their "sister" Girl Scouts. The delegates chose February 22 as the date
for Thinking Day because it was the mutual birthday of Lord Baden-Powell,
founder of the Boy Scout movement, and his wife Olave, who served as World
Chief Guide.
In 1932, at the seventh World Conference, held in Poland, a Belgian
delegate suggested that since birthdays usually involve presents, girls
could show their appreciation and friendship on Thinking Day not only by
extending warm wishes but by offering a voluntary contribution to the World
Association. This is how the World Association's Thinking Day Fund began.
The fund helps offer Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting to more girls and young
women worldwide. Girl Scouts of the USA, through its Juliette Low World
Friendship Fund, gives to the Thinking Day Fund.
To emphasize the global aspect of Thinking Day, members at the 30th
World Conference, held in Ireland in 1999, changed the name Thinking Day
to World Thinking Day. |
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| Activity Ideas
World Thinking Day Language Challenge
Girls can hold a competition, asking participants to write down
"World Thinking Day" in as many languages as they can. The person with
the most correct translations wins a prize!
World Thinking Day Garden
Girls can ask their local park, school, places of worship, or community
center if they can maintain a portion of the land and name it a World Thinking
Day Garden. You can plant flowers and plants that remind you of your sisters
in Girl Scouting/Girl Guiding, such as the "forget-me-not" or plants that
can be found in another Girl Guiding country
Festivals or Fairs
It has become a tradition for many troops and councils to hold festivals
or fairs on World Thinking Day, wherein one WAGGGS member organization
or several might be highlighted, and crafts or food typical of that country
sold. These events give girls the opportunity to learn about other cultures
and think of how girls live in other countries, while also having fun.
This is a great chance to show girls how to give back to the world by giving
to the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund. |
Girl Scouts of the USA
Juliette Low World Friendship Fund
P.O. Box 19611A
Newark, NJ 07195-0611
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