100 Years, 1 Organization - Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

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ob-ps at shelly ridge Princess beneditke Olave Baden-Powell Society (OB-PS) Annual Meeting May 17–20, 2012 The OB-PS, which supports the mission of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) to enable girls to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world returned to the United States for the first time in 15 years for their annual event May 17-20 in Philadelphia. More than 230 members of the OB-PS, representing 21 different countries, joined the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) in celebration of the Centennial of Girl Scouting in the USA. gsusa ceo anna maria chÁvez A day of programming offered at our council headquarters where girls spent the day outdoors participating in workshops creating lasting works of art and celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting with members of the Olave Baden-Powell Society. HRH Princess Beneditke of Denmark took time to plant a tree and interact with the girls while she visited! Featured guests through out the weekend included Anna Maria Chávez, CEO, GSUSA, Sharon Matthews, GSUSA Board Member and International Commissioner, Natalye Paquin, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, Mary McPhail, CEO, WAGGGS, and Vibeke Riemer, president, OB-PS. 24 gsep.org • spark • fall/winter 2012
Olave Baden-Powell Society: My International Experience in Pennsylvania by Alexa I. > 2012: year of the girl | discover I recently participated in the best event of my Girl Scout career. I am a Senior Girl Scout from the Emmaus Service Unit and a freshman at Emmaus High School. I participated in the events sponsored by the Olave Baden-Powell Society (OB-PS)—an international society of wealthy dignitaries who support the work of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). The women (and men!) in the society are amazing. They are so inspiring! During the events that took place on May 17 and May 19, I met women from all of the continents, except South America. I met women from Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Scotland, the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan, and many from the United States. The events that took place occurred because the OB-PS held their annual meeting in Philadelphia this year. Let me tell you how awesome this opportunity was. As many of the readers know, this year is the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts in America. Therefore, almost any event that I am involved in this year is awesome. This was the first time in fifteen years that the OB-PS held their annual meeting in America. While some of the women could not speak English it is awesome that they were even here in our 100th Anniversary year, let alone in Philadelphia, which is in our council. These events were beyond cool. On Thursday, May 17, the OB-PS welcome reception took place at the National Constitution Center. I was one of about ten girls there and I came with my best friend, Maura B.. All of the girls were given the same assignment: greet and entertain the international guests as they arrived at the National Constitution center from their buses. We were to speak to them as we escorted them to the entrance of the National Constitution Center. Maura and I were chosen out of the ten girls there to personally greet Princess Benedikte as she arrived at the center. We were thrilled when we received this assignment. Even Eddie, the National Constitution Center guard whom we befriended, can testify that we were thoroughly freaking out over meeting the princess of Denmark. Princess Benedikte is the main patron and social face of the OB-PS. The society is the main charity that she supports. Maura and I were trained on the protocol for greeting the princess. We were to curtsy and politely say, “Pleased to meet you, Your Royal Highness.” It was surreal. We did not know that the President of the Olave Baden-Powell Society, Vibeke Riemer, was also arriving with the princess. It was such a pleasure to meet both of these women. We gsep.org • spark • fall/winter 2012 25
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100 Years, 1 Organization - Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

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