Alumnae Story
A Place For Every Girl

By Nancy Wittman

I registered as a Brownie in 1942 in Utica, N.Y., and continued on in Girl Scouting through the Senior level. When I was an Intermediate Girl Scout, I earned the Curved Bar. I was part of a Girl Scout choir led by Lula Root and we went to nursing homes and the train station to welcome servicemen home at Christmastime. We also put on a musical yearly — I played the Girl Scout in "Merrily We Wander." I was just 10 years old and very shy.

I earned free day camp for many weeks because of my perfect attendance at choir rehearsals. Day camp only cost 50 cents then but I loved it. College girls were the staff. I remember making campfire stew and having one overnight. Because I lived in the country, I rode the city bus from the end of the line to the busy corner in Utica and changed buses for camp. Many of us got to camp that way. Then we walked about a mile into camp. It was great fun.

I returned to Scouting as an adult in 1970 as my daughter's troop cookie chairperson, then as a fulltime leader in 1972 and have been a leader since in Conestoga Council and Moingona Council in Iowa, and also an assistant Brownie Guider in Hakin, Wales, UK.

I have visited all four World Centers. My favorite is Sangam because I was involved with the community while attending the 30th birthday of Sangam. When I was a Brownie, a Senior Girl Scout came to our meeting and told about going to Our Chalet and I promised myself that someday I would go to this place of beauty. I treated myself to a trip there for my 50th birthday. I was disappointed at Our Cabaña as we were not involved at all with other Scouts of Mexico, just those who attended the butterfly event. And, we were there for Thinking Day. Pax Lodge is really nice — I also stayed at Olave House. A highlight on one trip to the UK was to have the honorable Mrs. Betty Clay come to Foxlease and stay with our group. I had met her at the World Conference in Tarrytown, N.Y., where I was a conference assistant from Conestoga Council. I have done three adult trips from Moingona Council — two to England and Switzerland, and one to Mexico.

Being very shy as a child, I learned so much confidence and loved the challenge of working on badges and learning new skills. I love the outdoors and was able to do so much with the girls I have had over the years. At present I have Cadette/Senior Girl Scouts and will retire as a leader once the girls graduate from high school. I most likely will be involved in a different way, but being a leader for 35 years has been the best and meeting so many Scouts in the places I have traveled. I became a Llifetime Girl Scout in Ooctober of 1984.

I believe that there is a place for every girl in Girl Scouting whatever her interest is and so many opportunities as they grow older. I am so thankful for the years I have had as a volunteer and all the wonderful memories from those years.