Having a hobby was a retirement requirement for Dena Kirkland, and volunteering for the Girl Scouts was her first choice.

Dena began offering her time as a GSSEM troop support volunteer. When they needed a co-leader to start a new Daisy and Brownie troop, she didn’t hesitate.

A Girl Scout herself, with a Troop Leader mom to boot, Dena had the qualifications to do the job. But she brought something even more—she brought a passion for adventure, traveling, and mentoring.

When a mom asked Dena to follow her daughter’s Girl Scout journey from start to finish, Dena promised to do so. Not just for that one scout, but for all the Girl Scouts, she decided. 

“My goal for my Cadettes is to help them see the value of staying in Girl Scouting,” she said. “I want to watch them grow in leadership, mentor them in pursuit of Higher Awards, and see them get to travel abroad.”

Dena’s favorite part of being a Troop Leader is getting to be a Girl Scout again. “I enjoy participating in adventures with my girls that I never got to do when I was young. I love seeing my girls experience all the traditions I did as a girl, while creating new ones,” said Dena.

Some of those new traditions include traveling to the National Convention with her granddaughter. It was a delight to see girls from across the country make new friends with each other, do some Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere (SWAPS) exchanging and get excited about being a Girl Scout!

“Share your passion, the traditions, invest in these girls. You will definitely see a return on your investment.”

Dena Kirkland

Do you know a volunteer who’s gone above and beyond? Nominate them to be featured on GSSEM’s Volunteer Spotlight at www.gssem.org/volspotlight!