Shirley Sanborn is a staple in the GSSEM community. After what was supposed to be a simple offer of help, it’s been more than 40 years and she’s still going strong as a Service Unit Manager and Troop Leader. Shirley’s devotion to Girl Scouting has lead to a lifetime of memories and plenty of girls’ lives changed forever.

When Shirley’s daughter came to her wanting to be a Brownie Girl Scout, she offered to help the current Troop Leader… only to become the leader asking for help! Several troops later, she’s watched girls blossom into leaders themselves. She says her favorite part about volunteering is when she’s bursting with pride at the accomplishments of “her” girls. She absolutely loves watching them grow in confidence and transform into amazing women. As they walk into the new school year, Shirley says she’d like to see the girls in her current troop continue to be curious about things, ready to think of ways to contribute to our community, be compassionate, have fun together and be confident in who they are and what they can do. This a constant goal of hers and contributes to the success of her girls and troops.

When asked about her favorite memory over the years, of course there were too many to name. (There are 40+ years to sort through!) There were trips to Toronto, Chicago, Savannah, camping at the Timbers & Camp O’Fair Winds, bridging at the sand dunes, singing silly songs on the street corners, and watching the girls grow… just to name a few. The real highlight: the many friendships she’s made along the way.

A piece of advice from this Girl Scout pro:

Don’t sweat the small stuff, laugh when things go awry and call it a learning experience. Enjoy whatever you do—you don’t have to be a super person! The girls will benefit from knowing that someone cared enough to spend time with them.

Thank you, Shirley! If you ever see her around, make sure to give her all of her flowers!