Girl Scout Alumnae Reconnect

Whether she grows up to be the CEO of a corporation or the CEO of her home, Girl Scouts prepares girls to be leaders. In fact, Girl Scouts is the world’s most successful organization dedicated to creating girl leaders, with 2.8 million active members and over 59 million alumnae. A girl’s experience in Girl Scouting doesn't end when she graduates from high school—she’s part of a lifelong network of women who serve as role models and mentors for future generations.

Girl Scout Alumnae Amy Godby and her mother Kate Godby

Amy Godby, a Girl Scout alumna who now lives in Virginia Beach, has recently taken on a volunteer role to help reconnect Girl Scout alumnae in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina with Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast. On December 11, Godby and Girl Scouts hosted a social event at Mermaid Winery in Norfolk as an opportunity for alumnae to hear from Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast CEO Tracy Keller and learn about what Girl Scouts are doing today and how they can get reengaged with the organization.

“As Girl Scout alumnae, our experiences in Girl Scouts influenced who we are today,” Godby said. “Being a part of the Girl Scout Alumnae Association is a chance to share our amazing experiences, catch up with old friends and meet extraordinary women who are a part of the Girl Scout sisterhood.”

Godby, who first joined Girl Scouts as a Brownie in Richmond, Va., says that some of her favorite memories from those times were at Girl Scout camp, where she learned how to sail, made friends around the campfire and learned how to live among nature. She also really enjoyed getting to visit the home of the founder of Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low, in Savannah, Ga.

For Godby, these fun and meaningful moments in Girl Scouts culminated with earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor and achievement in Girl Scouting. For her Gold Award project, Godby focused on domestic violence awareness. She created fliers with information about signs of abuse and how to get help that she posted all over the community. She also collected hygiene items for people staying at the Genieve Shelter in Suffolk and hosted a relationship violence seminar designed to teach teenagers about relationship violence and domestic abuse.

“I was more proud of my Gold Award than graduating from high school and going to college,” Godby said. “I had a very personal inspiration for my project, and I put so much hard work into it. I was also really proud that I was able to inspire others in the community to take action for victims of domestic violence through my project.”

Godby, a graduate of Virginia Tech, kept in touch with girls from her troop while she was in college and reconnected with Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast by coordinating a corporate sponsorship from her employer Reddix and Associates for the Girl Scout Famous Formers luncheon in November. For Godby, it’s important to stay connected to Girl Scouts because it’s an organization that means a lot to her and a way for her to continue to stay involved in making a difference in the community.

Girl Scout alumnae who would like to reconnect with the organization can register for the Girl Scout Alumnae Association here. To find more information about Girl Scouts in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, visit www.gsccc.org.

View more photos from the event here.