Once a Girl Scout,
always a Girl Scout

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

Dorothy Michaels has spent more years in Girl Scouting than most. She’s been a leader with Troop 1229 since 1964 and now serves as the Knights Service Unit manager.
The service unit incorporates 22 troops in the Northeast Philadelphia area.
"I love working with the girls," she said from the library of Our Lady of Calvary School.
The Girl Scout troop, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2008, is based out of Our Lady of Cavalry, where Michaels has served as the school’s librarian for more than 40 years.
Interestingly enough, she was never a Girl Scout herself.
"It wasn’t available to me," she said.
Michaels became a leader because that was the requirement in 1964 for parents who wanted their daughters to join the troop. Her daughter Barbara wanted to join.
"I did it because she wanted it so much," Michaels said.
Not only is she still working and dedicated to scouting, but her daughter is too. Barbara Michaels is the CEO of an Iowa Girl Scout Council.
"It makes me feel good. She’s getting paid now," her mother said.
When she and her daughter joined Troop 1229, there were 100 girls in the group. Last year the troop had 65, while the service unit was composed of 440 Girl Scouts.
Back in the day, there weren’t a whole lot of activities for girls.
"Today there’s a lot of competition with sports, dance and cheerleading. Parents tell the kids to choose. Some do both," Michaels said.
Girl Scouting has long promoted itself as building character, confidence and courage with a large helping hand of service.
"We encourage troops to do service for their sponsor (host organization) as well as the community. If not for all the churches, we wouldn’t have meeting places," Michaels said.
The girls also receive a lot of positive feedback when they apply to schools or jobs and list their Girl Scouts and service experience, she added.
"The girls like to do (service). They do sports and dance in their badge work. It also develops good, strong values and leadership skills in our progression," Michaels said.
The Girl Scout progression begins with Daisy Scouts, followed by Brownies, Juniors, Cadets and Seniors.
Michaels has sold a lot of Girl Scout cookies as her daughters and her Scouts have moved up through that progression.
"We had a banner year last year, selling 1,100 cases. We had an exciting end-of-year trip to the Great Wolf Lodge with the whole service unit," she said.
The $3 price isn’t the only thing that has changed about Girl Scout cookies over the years. The girls no longer go door to door as Michaels’ daughters had done. Most of the selling is done in booth sales at banks and supermarkets.
If you like Girl Scout cookies and want to help the girls who sell them, the Knights Service Unit is looking for volunteer leaders to work with girls through age 12. Training and support are provided. The unit also is recruiting new girls for the year at all age levels.
"Being a leader gives women an opportunity to make an impact on a girl’s life," Michaels said. ••
For more information, call 215-637-4347. Volunteer leaders must clear child abuse/background checks.
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com