The following article was submitted to the Thorold News by local Girl Guide leader Shaunna MacQuarrie
The Girl Guide Program in Thorold is very much alive and thriving! More than 60 local youth from age five right though their teen years, as well as numerous amazing volunteer leaders, participate in Thorold’s three-unit, multi-branched Guiding program.
In 2018, Girl Guides of Canada announced a total overhaul of their programming which essentially shifted things from a leader-driven to a girls-driven approach. The new Girls First Program offers the girls the opportunity to create meaningful connections, fosters independence and gives them the chance to to be actively involved in their own learning. One area of focus has them advocating for their own interests in order to discover ways they can engage meaningfully with members of the community. This program area empowers the girls to learn that they can be both passionate about something and make a difference in their community!
When the 2nd Thorold Sparks & Brownies unit first gathered in the fall, the girls were encouraged to share ways they could help members of their community. After much discussion, they settled on planning a Christmas Toy Drive. The girls enjoyed a visit with some of the dedicated workers from Community Care and gained the opportunity to learn a bit about what the program does to help people in Thorold. They worked hard to collect toys and even took a trip to a local store to learn about how to plan and shop on a budget. Then, one drizzly evening in December, with umbrellas held high, they pulled wagons overflowing with their toys to Thorold’s Community Care. It was a labour of love and they were incredibly proud of the work they had put in to something they had planned right from day one. They even lucked out on their rainy evening community stroll and were invited by some of Thorold’s amazing firefighters to explore the fire trucks and learn a bit about fire safety! It was a wonderful evening full of proud smiles, squeals of joy and Christmas carols!
The 1st Thorold Guides have also been busy this holiday season! The largest of our units, with 25 girls, they chose to help some of the region’s most vulnerable population. They collected milk bags and worked with the volunteers at the New Apostolic Church in St. Catharines to create woven milk bag sleeping mats. Heather Strain, one of the Unit Guiders explained, “This project is always at the top of the girls’ list each year as they choose their activities – they love cutting the ribbons of plastic and weaving them on the huge homemade looms. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a huge finished mat that they helped to make, knowing that someone without a bed will now have a waterproof cushion between them and the ground and hearing about how grateful the people are who receive the mats.”
All of the Guiding Units in Thorold work together around the various holidays throughout the year preparing little crafts and favours to go on the food trays for residents in the Meals on Wheels Program that services Thorold and St. Catharines. The girls work diligently to create upwards of 35-40 little crafts that will adorn the food trays with holiday greetings and bring smiles to the recipients’ faces when they sit down to enjoy their meals.
Throughout Niagara, there are hundreds of girls and women involved in Guiding. Girls who grow through the program experience countless opportunities to help others and stretch themselves. At all ages – from the young girls to the leader-aged adult volunteers, there are opportunities to participate in activities, special events and camps while also learning the power of their own voices and how to use their gifts to help others. It is exciting to know that our own wonderful community of Thorold is part of the thriving, global network of Guiding!
For those interested in learning more about Girl Guides of Canada, please visit: www.girlguides.ca
