Patriotism–through the Eyes of Girl Scouts

May 19, 2005

By Michele Landa Riggio

For some it's the American flag which waves on their front lawn, or the Pledge of Allegiance they recite each morning. For others, it is tears of longing shed for a family member in the armed forces, stationed overseas. During the month of May, with Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, and Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) at our doorstep, many U.S. citizens around the world are thinking about what it means to be American. It's also a time when Girl Scouts worldwide unite with their communities to honor those Americans who have given their lives in defense of our nation's freedom, and the men and women now serving in uniform.

Armed Forces Day

Established in 1950 by President Harry S. Truman, Armed Forces Day pays special tribute to those men and women who give of themselves to defend our nation. The holiday is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in May.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. The day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 and was first observed on May 30,1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Today, Memorial Day is celebrated in most States on the last Monday in May.

Victory in Europe (VE) Day

VE Day marks the date that World War II officially ended in Europe. On this day—May 7, 1945—Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime surrendered unconditionally to the Allies in Rheims, France.

Girl Scouts Join President Bush to Pay Homage to Our Veterans

Throughout the year, Girl Scouts show their patriotism by participating in flag retirement ceremonies, sending care packages to military personnel stationed overseas, sending uplifting wishes to mothers of service men and women, and doing community service projects to improve their communities.

This year, to mark the 60th anniversary of VE Day, a group of Girl Scouts living with their families in the Netherlands paid a special honor to American veterans of WWII and those buried at the American Cemetery in Margraten, the Netherlands. Margaret Renwand, CEO of USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO)—North Atlantic region, who helps make Girl Scouting available to children of American families living overseas, joined some 80 girls ages five through 17 and their families in early May for a ceremony to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of VE Day.

The weekend-long event began early on a cold, rainy Saturday morning. As has been tradition for the past 50 years, Girl Scouts laid a memento on each of the 8,301 graves of the American soldiers buried at the cemetery. This year, it was an American and Dutch flag that was laid on each of the grave sites—a task which took the group more than four hours to complete.

Standing among hills of cross-shaped grave stones, one Junior Girl Scout, age 12, poignantly said, "I'm so tired and cold but each of these soldiers deserves a flag on their grave.”

Honoring Our Heroes

The following day, the Girl Scouts joined President Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Dutch Queen Beatrix and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands for a memorial ceremony. The girls, dressed in their uniforms, opened the ceremony by leading the audience of 15,000 in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, singing God Bless America and saying the Girl Scout Promise. Each Girl Scout was given two commemorative pins—one for themselves and one to give to a WWII veteran in the audience.

One such WWII veteran—who happens to be the father of Ms. Renwand—had been with the Girl Scouts tFhroughout the two-day long event. "It was touching and encouraging seeing girls take such an interest in something that took place so many years ago,” said Dean Renwand.

Since becoming CEO of USAGSO-North Atlantic in March 2004, Ms. Renwand has watched more than 6,500 Girl Scouts living overseas learn how to celebrate their American heritage so far away from home. "Living in an international community gives girls a totally different perspective on what patriotism means. Since many of the girls attend international schools, they're in settings where they are not necessarily learning the Pledge of Allegiance unless they are with their Girl Scout group,” said Ms. Renwand. "This VE Day event gave girls the opportunity to understand how important the freedoms they enjoy as American citizens are.”

To learn about Girl Scout activities in your area or how to volunteer, please call your local Girl Scout council or (800) GSUSA 4 U.