Girl Scout Alumna Donna Ashbaugh Shares Her Story
Girl Scout Alumna Donna at Age 10 and Today
Every spring, when birds seem to sing more, flowers bloom prolifically and girls in green come marching up to front doors, I travel back in time to when I joined Girl Scouts. What happy memories for me on a spring day when I go to the grocery store and find a group of well-groomed Girl Scouts clustered around a card table stacked with boxes of thin mints, samoas and my favorite, the classic shortbread trefoil cookies.
I joined Anaheim’s Troop #37 as a reluctant and shy ten-year-old who wore wire-rimmed glasses. There were no other girls close to my age in my neighborhood, so I don’t know whether it was my mother, or the fact I had few playmates (I don’t count brothers) that inspired me to sign up.
Although I didn’t know it at the time, I realize now that I broadened my understanding of the world and made long-standing friends through my Scout activities – camping and cookouts, badge successes and retail experience selling cookies. Cookies sold for 35 cents a box in those days!
One of my memories was learning to tie my official yellow scarf. To this day, the words “left over right, right over left” come back to me when faced with a scarf. I also remember some of the songs we used to sing: “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree” and the perennial “Taps”.
Girl Scout Troop #617 in 1975 with their leader Donna
Because my husband and I had positive memories of scouting and believed in its benefits, we jumped at the opportunity to enroll our daughter in the program when she reached the appropriate age. I didn’t think to ask if she wanted to join. I also didn’t think twice when asked to be a leader.
When Troop #615 was formed, it was like stepping back in time. Cookie sales, cookouts at the park and award ceremonies filled our days. I don’t remember how much cookies were selling for when I was a leader, but they were certainly more than 35 cents a box.
This year, after being involved in planning a high school and a family reunion, I thought it would be fun to plan a reunion for my Scouts in June. After all, some of them hadn’t seen each other for over 35 years.
Troop #615 at the 1975 End of the Year Award Ceremony held at Jack Fisher Park in Santa Ana
So, on June 11th six girls and three mothers met at my home for a potluck lunch. The girls must have retained something from their cooking badge requirements as the food they brought was first-rate. We even had desserts that resembled s’mores. We couldn’t have a Girl Scout Reunion without s’mores.
The girls, mature and successful women now, showed me the influence scouting had on them by their gracious demeanors, caring concerns and mature judgments. I couldn’t get over the fact they were older than I was when I was their leader. But most of all, I looked at those women with much admiration and pride as they shared their families’ achievements and educational experiences.
Troop #615 reunion after 35 years. Debbie, Donna, Sara, Jayne, Anna, Tracey and Lisa
In looking back on our reunion day and the women who are now mothers and outstanding, productive women, I take pleasure in the fact that the scouting tradition continues in their own sons’ and daughter’s joys and successes in scout programs.
As they departed, they clustered in our driveway for a long time, reluctant to leave, hanging on to those long ago memories. They enjoyed the day so much they plan to have their own Girl Scout table at their next all-class, high school reunion. I heartily recommend planning Scout reunions; reconnecting and reminiscing are joys not to be missed.
Reluctant to leave the amazing Troop #615 Reunion
