GIRL POWER
COAST KIDS GUIDE THE WAY OUR LIVES
ONCE upon a time they may have sent out a smoke signal or called out a cooee but now the Southport District Girl Guides are turning to Our Lives to help attract more young ladies to their ranks.
Last week four girls made their Guides promise, with twins Aurora and Samara Taylor, 11, Nevaeh Davis-Hancock, 8, and Pheenix Smith, 9, being inducted into the unit.
The Southport Girl Guides unit has been at the current site since 1987 but records show it was operating as early as 1922 after being founded out of St Hilda’s.
There are now 18 junior Guides (previously known as Brownies) aged five to 10 and six seniors aged up to 15.
The unit, which meets 4pm to 6pm on Wednesdays, is on a recruitment drive in the hopes they can add a Monday meeting to their schedule.
New Guide Pheenix said earning badges and making friends were her favourite parts of the experience.
“For my ear badge I learned all about sign language – I can sign my name now,” Pheenix said. “Next I want to do my Australia badge and learn all about Australia and the coat of arms.”
Leader Amanda Lumley said she tried to instil life skills in the girls such as managing finances and encouraged them to get involved in community work.
“For the Mother’s Day dinner we gave the girls a budget and they stuck to it,” Ms Lumley said. “They sat down together and worked out what to buy and then cooked and served their mums a lovely meal.
“A few of the girls have also done their boating badge. They get assessed on a few different techniques of paddling a canoe and need to know how to tie several different knots.”
The unit has regular camps and sleepovers and the girls learn how to light fires and erect tents.
Anyone who would like to join can contact Lorraine on 0405 766 207.