Troops from LET: Lawrence Ewing Trenton Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts

In 1912, Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low gathered 18 girls together for the first Girl Scout meeting. Today Girl Scouts total over 10 million girls all over the globe.

Area Girl Scouts are celebrating the centennial in a BIG way.

Earlier this month, on June 9, Kassia Switlik Bukosky, Co-Service Unit Manager for Communications for the Lawrence-Ewing-Trenton Girl Scouts, and co-leader of Daisy Troop 70641 and Cadette troop 70637, took 12 girls, 7 moms and a dad to Washington, DC to “Rock the Mall.” Overall, 101 girls and their parents attended from Lawrence-Ewing-Trenton (LETs).

Growing up, Burkosky was not involved with Girl Scouts. She quips “I must be making up for lost time.” Today she is a Cadette co-leader for 12-year old Eleanor’s troop, as well as for her first grader Katherine’s Daisy troop. Girl Scouts are divided by grade. Daisies are kindergarten and first graders, Brownies (2nd-3rd graders), Juniors (4th-5th graders), Cadettes (6th-8th graders), Seniors and Ambassadors (high school levels).

Several years ago, Burkosky was talking to a group of moms in Eleanor’s second grade class about forming a troop. They said “why don’t you look into it? I was partnered with a total stranger who became a great friend. We were great.” The rest was history.

“Washington, DC was awesome.” Burkosky adds “there were Girl Scouts as far as the eye could see. Some troops wore their uniforms. We wore commemorative t-shirts that we tie dyed ourselves.”

“I did not know what to expect. I had never been to such a big Girl Scout event.” Their troop spotted girls from Alaska, Girl Guides from the United Kingdom, Illinois, Hawaii and the whole East Coast. They were amazed by “the whole globalist of it, to really experience it and for our girls to experience it.”

Each troop brought something to SWAP: Special Whatchamacallit Affectionately Pinned somewhere. Her girls made felt squares with their logo on it and web address on the back.

Burkosky said “some were so creative and cool and put so much time into it. On the bus home they [the girls] were comparing them. Some troops came with 500 SWAP per person. We came with 100 to pass out and trade. They were so creative; it inspired us. We were not a “SWAPping” troop, but we are now! It was encouraging.”

As for the girls, “not one of the girls complained. It was hot and a little miserable at times.” It was an event Burkosky felt driven to attend and “would do it again in a heartbeat!”

She feels the experience energized the older girls by seeing high schoolers who are still Girl Scouts.

Amy Rosiejka, Burkosky’s Daisy Troop co-leader, agreed. She was amazed by the sing-a-long projected on big monitors. “The whole city was full of Girl Scouts.” Rosiejka is a third generation Girl Scout. Her grandmother was a scout through seniors, and her mom was troop leader. Her daughter, Megan, 6, is a fourth-generation Girl Scout. They’ve come a long way in 100 years!

Lawrence Girl Scout, Aluen Tomat-Kelly and her mother, Virginia, also attended “Rock the Mall,” where they met Girl Scouts from several states around the USA: Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. “The furthest distance travelled amongst those we met was a mom and her Daisy scout who drove from Washington state,” said Virginia. “From outside the USA, we met Girl Guides from Canada. Their 100th anniversary was last year.”

They camped at Greenbelt National Park. It was filled with Scouts. “Waiting for the subway train to the Mall, we met Girl scouts from Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The only complaint is that the weather was too hot and humid. It was not possible for us to spend hours under the strong sun next to the Washington monument as there were not many trees under which to find the comfort of shade.”

The troop went to the National Museum of the American Indian, where they stumbled upon “an hour and a half long hoop dance and American Indian music program. The performers paid tribute to the Girl Scouts. It was a fitting end to our celebration of the 100th anniversary experience of the GS organization that has as its theme this year: "Forever Green" as the performers stressed the importance of men adopting practices that allow them to live in harmony with nature.”

On June 23, two weeks after “Rock the Mall,” three Girl Scouts, two of their friends, and their parents went to Liberty State Park for "BIG: Believe in Girls Celebration.” While “Rock the Mall” was geared for all ages, and scouts from around the globe, BIG attracted Girl Scouts from all over New Jersey, and the tri-state area. The event culminated with evening concerts by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, and celebrity judge on NBC’s “The Sign Off,” Sara Bareilles, pop star Joe Jonas from The Jonas Brothers, “X-Factor” finalist Rachel Crow and fireworks at 10:30 PM.

Junior Girl Scout Troop leader, April Gammage, raved about both BIG and "Rock the Mall." With this year being the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts, Gammage’s troop of 12 fifth-grade girls wanted to celebrate. Last November they participated in “Bridging into the Next Century,” a walk across the George Washington Bridge to honor the Girl Scouts. As part of the celebration, the George Washington Bridge was illuminated in green lights for the month.

This was followed by “Rock the Mall” and BIG.

“It was amazing to see all the Girls Scouts and families. It was the ‘big’ event. A real girl power movement,” said Gammage.  “It was wonderful and very exciting. The girls were wowed by the experience. They were stoked!”

Adding to the “wow” part of the experience was that Gammage’s 11-year old daughter, Nevin, was chosen to go backstage where she met Rachel Crow and had her picture taken with the celebrity.

Another celebrity encounter was with Anna Maria Chavez, the CEO of Girl Scout USA. Chavez gave each of the girls a patch that said “Eagle 1,” a patch that can only be given by her. The girls SWAPped an emergency sewing kit with Chavez.

Gammage said when the girls met Chavez, their faces lit up. One of the girls (a non-Girl Scout who came for the day) told Chavez “I am not a Girl Scout.” Chavez replied “you are not a Girl Scout yet, but I have the power to make you a Girl Scout.” The girl stammered that she would talk to her mom about joining a troop.

The LET (Lawrence Ewing Trenton) Girl Scouts will be the lead float in Ewing’s 4th of July Parade.

For more information about becoming a Girl Scout, contact  the Girl Scouts of Central and Southern, NJ at 1-800-582-7692, or via email at info@gscsnj.org.