Entire Issue - Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
Entire Issue - Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
Entire Issue - Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
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high school through destinations. She<br />
opened up my eyes to so many new<br />
opportunities with <strong>Girl</strong> <strong>Scouts</strong>.<br />
During our third session, some <strong>of</strong><br />
the OB-PS members came up to<br />
see the activities we were doing<br />
and to speak to us. I met another<br />
woman from Denmark. I met<br />
another few people from the UK<br />
and another Australian woman who<br />
gave me a pen from her country.<br />
After the events at Shelly Ridge were<br />
finished, the girls from my troop and<br />
I attended the flag ceremony for the<br />
OB-PS’s Presentation Ceremony at<br />
the Hyatt at Penns Landing. All <strong>of</strong> the<br />
members <strong>of</strong> the OB-PS and the girls<br />
who participated in the flag ceremony<br />
were in the conference room <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Hyatt. I was the <strong>Girl</strong> Scout in charge, so<br />
I announced all <strong>of</strong> the commands for<br />
the color guard. Before the ceremony,<br />
I met the CEO <strong>of</strong> WAGGGS, Mary<br />
McPhail, and took my picture with her.<br />
Speaking with her was very pleasant. I<br />
was originally instructed to leave the<br />
conference room after I commanded<br />
everyone to sit down. Then, I met<br />
the Vice President <strong>of</strong> the OB-PS. Her<br />
name is Ginny Radford and she is<br />
from New Zealand. She asked me if<br />
I would stay for the duration <strong>of</strong> the<br />
meeting to help the members up and<br />
down the steps leading to the stage. I<br />
gratefully accepted. I was thrilled!<br />
The flag ceremony consisted <strong>of</strong><br />
singing the World Song and posting<br />
four flags: U.S., WAGGGS, 100th<br />
Anniversary, and Danish. The princess<br />
came into the conference room after<br />
the procession <strong>of</strong> flags came in. After<br />
the flag ceremony, the president, vice<br />
president, and princess spoke. They<br />
were all very enlightening. I did not<br />
realize that 6 out <strong>of</strong> 10 women are still<br />
being physically or sexually abused<br />
throughout the world. I sat down<br />
next to the stage. The princess sat<br />
on the stage. There was also a very<br />
good women’s choir called the Anna<br />
Crusis Women’s Choir there. It is one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the oldest women choirs in North<br />
America and they were trained to sing<br />
special songs for this event. Some <strong>of</strong><br />
the songs were “A Song <strong>of</strong> Peace,”<br />
“Our Chalet Song,” “Our Cabana Song,”<br />
“On My Honor,” and “Make New Friends.“<br />
The Presentation Ceremony<br />
consisted <strong>of</strong> inducting new members<br />
into the society. Each new member<br />
received a pin and a certificate. They<br />
also had their bio read to the society<br />
and had their picture taken with the<br />
princess. Sapreet and ‘Toyin were a<br />
couple <strong>of</strong> them. The ceremony was<br />
very interesting and enlightening.<br />
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about<br />
the OB-PS events. I met so many<br />
wonderful women. I also grew a little<br />
bit as a person. I am now considering<br />
adding international studies as a major<br />
when I attend college. I learned about<br />
so many other cultures. I’m sure all<br />
<strong>of</strong> the girls who participated in any <strong>of</strong><br />
these events feel similarly. Thank you<br />
to everyone who helped make the OB-<br />
PS events possible. Thank you, OB-PS,<br />
for holding your annual meeting in<br />
Philadelphia this year! Thanks to you<br />
I have made many irreplaceable and<br />
priceless memories.<br />
gsep.org • spark • fall/winter 2012 27