- February 8, 2025
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Girl Scout leaders in Port Orange and throughout Volusia County are preparing for new members to be joining in the fall.
The new membership year for Port Orange's Atlantic Shores Girl Scout community, along with the Girl Scout communities throughout the state will begin on October 1.
That means the weeks leading up to October will be the recruitment season when Girl Scout leaders go into the schools and invite girls into the troops, according to Kelie Tatro, a Girl Scout leader and communications coordinator for the Girl Scout Sunrise Community in Volusia County.
Tatro said recruitment has increased within Central Florida and that girls, like her own daughter, that do join are able to try out new skills and hobbies to find out what they enjoy doing. Tatro's daughter learned archery and found she enjoyed paddle boarding, something Tatro said she wouldn't have been able to do if she wasn't in Girl Scouts.
"It builds confidence and gives them a sense of pride being part of a group," Tatro said. "It reaches out to others that aren't in gymnastics or different activities and then they get to bond together. It's definitely a good organization for all girls."
Rokaisha Pelham, a Brownies and Junior leader, said she and her troop are just starting to work on what they want to do in the upcoming months. The troop has already had one meeting and is getting ready for their fall product sale where they sell items such as magazines and chocolates to raise money for activities, according to Pelham, who is also the administrative support coordinator and event coordinator for the Atlantic Shores Girl Scout community, which includes Port Orange, Daytona Beach Shores and Ponce Inlet.
"We get to do all kinds of fun stuff, as well as sell cookies." Kelie Tatro, communications coordinator for the Girl Scout Sunrise Community
"In order for groups to operate we are reliant on our money earners," Pelham said. "Girl Scouts are meant to be self-reliant, whether that is paying for a pencil or going on a trip."
In addition to the product sale, the girls will be getting ready for their cookie kickoff as well as planning what badges they want to work on. Pelham said within Girl Scouts there are "journeys" where members participate in activities to earn badges and patches.
This year, there are three new journeys that are all STEM-focused. Pelham said these were added after a survey was done and the results found most girls wanted more activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
"We get to do all kinds of fun stuff," Tatro said. "As well as sell cookies."
As for how these activities, and the Girl Scouts in general, benefit members, Pelham said she has seen it promote positive changes in girls' lives.
"I feel that has really brought out the leadership skills in the girls," Pelham said. "I've noticed now that girls are more apt to get in front of a group and speak, they're more helpful, they're more confident in what they're doing."
