Lynda Dandridge is the ultimate Girl Scout troop leader for Troop 43550. She’s a shining example of what a volunteer is and, after 24 years, she knows Girls Scouts like the back of her hand.
Before we dig into Lynda’s Girl Scout journey, let’s first acknowledge the long list of roles she’s played in the process:
- Product Program Committee
- Service Unit Manager
- Troop Leader/Co-Leader
- Troop Product Program Manager
- Volunteer National Awards Committee
- Council and National Delegate
- Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Committee
- Member of the Global Roundtable and G.I.R.L 2020
Impressive, right?
Lynda always knew that she wanted to be a Girl Scout. She started off as a Junior Girl Scout in Alabama but was unable to continue because the nearest Girl Scout Troop was too far. When she was blessed with a daughter, she decided to get back involved with Girl Scouts; she was always at the troop meetings, got involved in the crafts, attended the trips, and eventually, she became a leader. Her first troop was with Cadette girls and since that day, she’s stayed active.
Active might be an understatement.
Lynda’s favorite memories as a Girl Scout volunteer include going camping with the girls (i.e. night hikes and bonding time in the cabins), and going on end-of-year Girl Scout trips. There are two end-of-year trips with her troops that stand out: Going to the White House while Barack Obama was president and going to the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Lowe in Savannah Georgia. Those were experiences she’ll never forget.
Lynda says her favorite part of being a troop leader is the interaction with her girls and watching them grow. Being able to witness a new girl come into the troop, make friends, develop courage, confidence, and build leadership skills is exciting for her. She believes ALL girls are true leaders; they just need a platform to display their skills. Several of her girls have already completed their Silver Awards, so her current goal is to help them earn their Gold Awards!
Here’s some troop leader inspiration from Lynda (if you need an extra push this month):
Enjoy the interaction you have with your girls. These young ladies are our future leaders. As a volunteer, you’re a role model, mentor, sister, friend, and sometimes a mother. Girl Scouts is a sisterhood where relationships are developed and friendships are established to last a lifetime! I enjoy being a Girl Scout volunteer. These young ladies bring a lot of joy, promise and hope into my life.
On behalf of GSSEM and Troop 43550, thank you for all that you do, Lynda!
