Name: Janet Kovacs
Service Unit: SU3622-Fairview
County: Erie
Total Girl Scout Years: 11
Volunteer Years: 51
Janet Kovacs has had a Girl Scout membership for 62 years now—first as a Girl Scout for 11 years, and then immediately becoming a Girl Scout volunteer after graduating high school.
“I love to brag about how long I’ve been a Girl Scout,” she said. “I’ve made it well known that I’m a Girl Scout volunteer who wears many hats.”
When asked what her favorite thing about Girl Scouts is, she laughs and says she likes too much of it. She loves teaching girls, planning events, and meeting other Girl Scouts. She and her co-leader, Amy Miehl, have been planning events at least twice a year since the year 2000, including Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania’s Great Getaway Weekend events that began in 2022.
“I feel fortunate to have Girl Scout friends from Pittsburgh up to Buffalo. Most people would think it’s only little old Erie where I’m from, but Girl Scouts is so much bigger than that. You could go anywhere and talk Girl Scouts.”
While Janet recognizes that there are plenty of organizations that need volunteers, she’s proud to say that Girl Scouts is the organization she dedicates her time to.
“I believe in the Girl Scout mission. There are many times in my life where I’m like, ‘yep—that’s the Girl Scout in me!’ Through Girl Scouts, girls learn skills for life and they may not even realize it until they get into their adult years.”
Her advice to other volunteers, especially newer ones, is to use their resources wisely. She encourages volunteers to attend service unit meetings and get acquainted with the other leaders to make connections and ask questions.
Janet not only has 62 incredible years of Girl Scout stories, but she’s got the patches to go with them. She sports her 544 Girl Scout patches on a poncho she made, each section having a special meaning.
“The outside tells a story of my life,” she said. “On the inside, those are the ones that have been given to me. Girls have brought patches back, saying ‘I want you to have this.’” The patches on the hood of the poncho represent things she’s done with her granddaughter.
Janet’s grandson even helped her create a catalog where she can keep track of her patches. They gave each patch a number with a detailed description of what each one represents. The oldest patch Janet has is a Presque Isle beach clean-up patch from 1967, which she received in seventh grade.
Janet doesn’t plan to stop adding Girl Scout patches to her collection anytime soon. In fact, she’s already working on a cape that will go over her poncho. She has one patch sewn on so far.
“I want to be packing my sleeping bag until I’m in my mid-80s, trekking to the tent. I want to be that really old lady packing and going to camp,” she said.
GSWPA 