“When I was a Girl Scout, I enjoyed it because of my amazing leader. I wanted to follow in her footsteps,” Kelsey Marsh says.
Kelsey fondly remembers the 11 years she spent as a Girl Scout, earning her Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, the highest awards a girl can earn in Girl Scouts. These are awarded to Junior, Cadette, and Senior and Ambassador girls, respectively, who display leadership while engaging in projects that benefit their communities.
Along with earning her awards, Kelsey always enjoyed the camping trips—her favorite being a trip to the Smoky Mountains. Eventually, she knew she wanted to share her knowledge and teach girls the same skills she learned when she was a Girl Scout, so she decided to be a volunteer. She hopes the one thing girls have gained from her volunteer leadership is the understanding of how to be a sister to every Girl Scout.
Kelsey has held volunteer positions such as troop leader, day camp volunteer, events coordinator, service unit secretary, council delegate, and Girl Scout champion. She also works at an elementary school as a paraprofessional.
Kelsey’s advice to new volunteers is to find badges that match the girls’ interests. Her greatest challenge as a Girl Scout volunteer was going virtual during the start of the pandemic, but she found ways for her troop to earn badges virtually.
“It’s a lot of work and time consuming, but worth it in the end,” she says.
Happy National Volunteer Month!
Check out this video message from the staff at Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania.
Looking for more ways to celebrate our volunteers?
👉 Volunteer Appreciation Resources
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