Guiding Friendships

A time to think of all the friends you have made through Guiding. A connection made by making and keeping the promise and the guide laws.

Everyone remembers their promise cermony. That will always hold a special place in my timeline as I didn't only join a local club but the world of a ever growing sisterhood.

I haven't met you personally,
But one glance confirms a friend I see;
For behind the trefoil and the smiles,
Lies strong ideals linking hearts and minds,
That banish time and miles.


Let's Pray
To all those friends we have met and those yet to come. I wish you enough.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
Amen

Activity 
Did you know the square knot used in a scoubi is a friendship knot?
Your challenge here is to make a square scoubi keyring. On your scoubi, thread 10 beads on to make your own pattern. Each bead represents the 10 parts of the Guide Law.

Recipe for a Guide Unit
(Put us all together, and we'll take it to the top!)

Guides come in all colours, from all races around the world. Every Guide is a sister no matter where she is from, no matter the language she speaks, no matter the colour of her skin. God loves variety, and Guides are the colours of the rainbow. (M & M’s)

We have a promise and a law. On our honor, we try to do our best to be fair and square. (FRUIT CHEWS.)

Some of us are tall, and some of us are small. When we get together, size doesn't matter at all. (PRETZEL THINS AND MINI MARSHMALLOWS)

Sometimes we are nutty. We love to joke and play. We'd love to put a Guide smile into everyone's day. (NUTS)

When we get together, we seem to make circles. We may sit in circles, play circle games, and make a Friendship Circle. You could say that we are well-rounded. (FRUIT RINGS)

When we are busy planning a project, or doing a craft, we pop around until we're done. (POPCORN)

Guides respect all living things. The earth is our home, and we want to keep it safe for everyone. (ANIMAL JELLIES)

Guides are chips off the old block. Guiding began in 1910 in Australia. Since then we all have been part of an old tradition, and are proud to be part of the future. (CHOCOLATE CHIPS)

We get a kick out of wearing our uniforms, learning new things, helping others, and being together with our friends. (JELLY BEANS)

Young Guides may be hard to resist because they are fresh, sweet and new. But the older Guide maybe more fun, because she has more experience than you! (RAISINS)


A Story - YOU NEVER KNOW

Long ago, a Little Girl lived in a small community. This Little Girl had a big brother, a little sister, and a little brother. She loved to play with her friends. She also loved to learn and to play teacher.

One day, a New Neighbor moved into the house next door. The New Neighbor had a big sister and a little brother. The little brother was about the same age as the Little Girl. They went to school together and really liked each other. The big sister baby-sat the Little Girl and her brothers and sister.

One day, the New Neighbor asked the Little Girl if she would like to come to Girl Guides as a guest at their “Bring a Friend” night. OOOh! The Little Girl was so excited to be going with the older and bigger girls.

Guides was fun. They played games, sang songs, had a patrol meeting, and got into a little trouble. Not a lot of trouble, but just enough for the little girl to remember it 30 years later. One girl had brought a little mercury in a bottle and had dropped it. If you have ever tried to catch mercury, you know it is almost impossible. They didn’t know about mercury poisoning at the time. They were just little girls.

The Little Girl wanted to join Guides but she was too little. She had to be 1 year older. She could hardly wait. But she was sad too, her New Neighbor had moved away. And nobody asked her to another “Bring a Friend” night.

Finally the Little Girl was 12. She could now join Guides. She had a wonderful time being a Guide. She camped, earned badges, and became a patrol leader. She loved wearing her uniform, even her beret. She helped the Brownies learn Semaphore.

When the Little Girl was 15, she suddenly thought she was too big to be a Girl Guide. She grew up and moved away. She got married and had 3 children. Two of those children were girls. They became Brownies. The Little Girl (who wasn’t little anymore) remembered the fun that she had as a girl.

The Little Girl (who wasn’t little anymore) became a Guider when nobody else would help with her daughter’s unit. The Little Girl (who wasn’t little anymore) had lots of fun and learned lots of new things. The Little Girl (who wasn’t little anymore) was very shy. She learned to talk to the girls. Then she learned to talk to the girl’s parents. Then she learned to talk to other Guiders. All the while her children were growing up and learning new skills as well. The Little Girl (who wasn’t little anymore) was able to use her new skills in new jobs.

One day the Little Girl (who wasn’t little anymore) was helping at a training. She was talking to another Guider while they were drying the “Bed Night” snack dishes. They talked and talked, and the more they talked and talked, the more they realized who they were. They were taller, shorter, rounder, older, had lived in many places and they had new last names because they were married, but their first names were the same. And their memories of that meeting were the same. The other Guider was the New Neighbor who had taken the Little Girl to her first Guide meeting. They began to make lots of noise to celebrate and woke up all the little girls. Once again, they were in trouble.

Now The Little Girl (who isn’t little anymore) is the Wheatland Division Commissioner, Arrowhead Area Training Adviser, an Leadership Development Program Trainer, and the Alberta Provincial Stage 2 Co-ordinator. They also call her “Trouble”. She has a long history of being in trouble.

The New Neighbor is also known as Zucchini. She has been in Guiding all of her life. She never thought she was too old for Guides. She sits on the Alberta Provincial Camp Committee. She deserves a Bring a Friend sticker for bringing a friend into Guiding, don’t you think?

So, you never know what will happen when you bring a friend to your meeting. It may take you 30 years to find out. So go and bring someone to your meeting. Have fun! (and a try not to get into TROUBLE)

I would like you all to think about the friendships you have made in Guiding. Who brought you to a Bring a Friend Meeting.