Long-time scout leader Janine Wood, who has participated in Girl Scouts since age five, addressed the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos December 6. Photo by Brooke Davis

BY BROOKE DAVIS
Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos

Jeanine Wood gave a presentation at the December 6 Kiwanis meeting about the Girl Scouts and their organization. A graduate of Los Alamos High School, a mother of three daughters, and a long-time scout leader, she knows a lot about both scouting and Los Alamos.

She has been participating in Girl Scouts since age 5. Her mother, Rebecca Clark, was one of her scout leaders and gave her a lifetime membership in Girl Scouts as a high school graduation gift. Wood now heads up Troop #10074 in Los Alamos. The Los Alamos Girl Scouts, she said, have the highest per capita membership in New Mexico.

Wood told Kiwanis that the Girl Scouts were founded in 1912 to help girls serve their community and country. At first, the organization was modeled on the Boy Scouts, which have a more military-style structure, but they soon developed a style of their own based on awards for a given number of hours devoted to service projects.

Perhaps their most important law pledges that they will strive to make the world a better place while respecting themselves and others. Their primary focus here continues to be service – plus the development of their members and nurturing their talents.

It was easy to note, from Wood’s talk, that the Girl Scouts and Kiwanis share many goals and ideals. And it was no surprise that a discussion ensued on how the two organizations could best help each other.