More leaders needed
Girl Guides flourishing but would like more leaders to apply
During a detailed discussion with the leaders of the Girl Guides on the Northside, Freda Potter said the organization is growing and flourishing, but at present needs more leaders.
The Girl Guides of Canada were established on September 10, 1910; in Sydney Mines in 1917 and in North Sydney, in 1936. The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts was founded in 1928.
Their vision is “a better world for girls” and their mission is “to be a catalyst for girls empowering girls.”
How do you become a Girl Guide? You must register, and all registration is done on line at www.girlguides.ca
Sparks include ages 5 to 6; Brownies are ages 7 to 8; Guides, ages 9 to 11; Pathfinders, ages 12 to 14; Rangers, ages 15 to 17 and Adults are ages 18 and over. Girls at the ages of 18 are called transitioning members.
Women 19 and over can become a leader. You do not have to have a girl involved in guiding to become a leader, as long as you have some available time to help girls to be all they can be.
The North Sydney Sparks and the 6th North Sydney Brownies meet at St. John’s Anglican Church, North Sydney; the North Sydney Guides meet at St. Joseph’s Church, North Sydney; the Sydney Mines Sparks meet at Trinity Anglican Church, Sydney Mines; the Sydney Mines Brownies meet at the Princess Community Hall (Food Bank), Sydney Mines; the Sydney Mines Guides meet at Carmen United Church, Sydney Mines, and the Northside Pathfinders and Trex meet at the Cape Breton County Exhibiton’s main hall.
Some of the leaders present include Carrie Kavanaugh, leader, 1st North Sydney Girl Guides at St. Joseph Church; D’Anne Francis, 6th North Sydney Brownies, program adviser for the Ceilidh area which takes in all of the Cape Breton; Alicia Gordon, Northside Pathfinders and Trex, also deputy area commissioner for the Ceilidh area and, Freda Potter, 6th North Sydney Brownies, and deputy district commissioner for Ocean View District (all of the Northside, Sydney River, Sydney forks, Westmount, Coxheath, Boisdale and Wagmatcook).
Wanda Robson was a 6th North Sydney Brownie leader and is now an honorary life member.
“I never would have joined unless I had a daughter,” said Robson. “Sarah, age 6 or 7 said, ‘Mom, can I join the Brownies? A girl comes to school in a brown uniform and I want to join the group.’ So when Sarah went to St. John’s Anglican Church, and my son, Joey, was out playing hockey, I could go to the library which I dearly loved.”
“That’s how a lot of us joined; we had a daughter,” Potter said.
“Ann Carter asked me, ‘Can you come as leader of the Brownies (in 1981 -1982)?” Robson said. “So, this replaced the library for me, but I got to love the Girl Guides. Parents were fantastic; I got to a point where I lived and breathes girl Guides.”
As time marches on, the organization has a new problem.
“The problem now is not getting the girls, it’s getting leaders,” says Potter.
You must be 19 to become a leader. If you, the reader, are interested, contact Freda Potter at 902-794-2471, or email her at potterg_f@hotmail.com. University students are welcome to become leaders; it’s great to have on their resumes. Special training is provided for anyone who wants to become a leader.
“It gives self-esteem to young girls,” adds Robson.
“Yes, I gained a lot of confidence through Girl Guides,” says Potter.
Girl Guides on the Northside are very active and they begin again in September. They have openings for girls in all units; however, Alicia explained, they are badly in need of leaders without which they can’t operate and each unit should have at least two leaders.
The Northside Girl Guides do service projects in the community, such as shoreline clean up, helping with the food bank, visiting seniors’ homes, book drives with the library, camping, hiking, crafts, sleepovers, and special events, such as a Thinking Day event where they learn about another guiding country and do the fun activities related to that country. The latest one held was an Ocean View District event at Cape Breton University this past February.
Girls and leaders are challenged to learn to think outside the box. They are made aware of a wide range of careers that are available and they are empowered to be all they can be in a safe, welcoming environment.
Their only fundraiser is selling Girl Guide cookie door to door. Chocolate mint cookies are sold in the fall and the classic chocolate and vanilla are sold in the spring.
Contact person is Freda Potter at 902-794-7018 or email at potterg_f@hotmail.com.