In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month, Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania is honoring the people who keep our community thriving, this month and every month.
While Kate Freemer is currently a volunteer for the Brockway Service Unit, she has been a Girl Scout in every capacity since she was a child. In fact, her passion for service has only grown in her almost 40 years with the organization.
Upon graduating high school in 1996, Kate knew immediately that she wanted to become a Girl Scout volunteer—she hit the ground running at Slippery Rock University as a dedicated helper with the campus troop.
After her graduation, she continued volunteering, serving as a troop leader for her daughters’ troops and a service unit manager for the Brockway Service Unit. For Kate, it really comes down to her love of Girl Scouting. Her dedication to the organization and the young women that she helps keeps her going, and it is something that she feels will continue on long into her future. The community support in her area is also something that keeps her coming back.
Girl Scouts has also provided opportunities for Kate that she would never have had otherwise—ever since childhood, she dreamed of going to Juliette Gordon Low’s birthplace. When she visited during her senior year of high school, it moved her to tears. Now, through her volunteering and her daughters’ involvement, she is able to go back again and see her daughters have the same exciting experience.
When asked what she hopes the girls she works with will learn from her, Kate said she is passionate about helping them achieve their dreams.
“I want each girl to learn from me that each girl is their own person. That each girl can be who they want to be when she is older. No dream is too small; reach for the stars. Go after their goals. Use their voice, volunteer, [and] stand up for what you believe in.”
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