Alumnae Story
'One of the Most Wonderful Experiences of My Life'

By Tara Dooley (maiden name Shore)
formerly of Brevard, N.C.,
Pisgah Council

Girl Scouts was one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. I grew up in the mountains, so camping was definitely something we did. We had the platform tents. Ours looked like covered wagons.

Another great thing was our meeting place.  We met in an actual Girl Scout house.  Donated, I suppose, to the Brevard Girls Scouts. It is still there and is still being used to this day. And it looks in better shape than it did when we met there.

Day camp stands out the most. We sang songs, played games, and learned how to mark a trail. Someone taught me how to use grass to make a whistle noise.

We were always making crafts or something during meetings, or we were outside playing games. We had so much fun that it really didn't seem like we were learning, but we were. I guess that's a sign of a good leader -- which is what I strive to be, since now I am one myself.

I brought my daughter and nine others through Daisies last year, and now we will be going through Brownies together. It is a lot of work, but she and the other girls are worth every minute. I just hope I can be as good a leader as the one I had when I was young.