Earlier this year, Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada received a great email from one of our previous Girl Greatness Awards recipients, Cheyenne:
Hi there! My name is Cheyenne.
I received a Girl Greatness Award in 2014 and I must tell you I was very honoured to have been a recipient. The Guiders of my Girl Guide unit were so proud of me! Receiving that award was like giving back to my unit and all they had done for me.
Very special ladies run the 2nd Brookhouse Girl Guides, Brookhouse District, Dartmouth Shore Area, Nova Scotia. And that is why I am writing you today. Does Girl Guides of Canada have a platform where girls can nominate their Guiders? Because I believe there are good Guiders and there are exceptional Guiders, and there are some that go above and beyond what should be expected of them. And when I think about those qualities, I know that my Guiders go above and beyond!
The ladies who run 2nd Brookhouse Girl Guides are Kathy Cooke, Barbara Kent, Natasha Neil, and Cathy Mason. Any one of these ladies should be commended for their great work.
When I first met these women, I was so shy and so very easily intimidated. I had been bullied for a long time, and I was scared. But because of these individuals, because of their patience, their kindness and their amazing abilities to make every girl in their unit feel special…I began to heal. I became strong and more confident and I began to believe in myself!
When they pinned my Girl Greatness Award on me and said wonderful things about me at a special year-end ceremony, right then and there I thought, I wish I had a pin to give each one of them.
I am sure they have been awarded for their services in some ways, maybe in many ways, but I think it would be nice if the Girl Guides themselves could nominate a Guider, explain how they are special, and maybe they could receive a girl greatness pin of their very own!
We put Cheyenne in touch with members of the Nova Scotia Provincial Council to assist her in nominating her Guiders for an award. We were thrilled when Cheyenne followed-up with us to let us know what happened next:
I just wanted let you know that the special presentation of awarding my Guiders with their own special pins went off without a hitch at the District Advancement Ceremony.
With the help of the Area Commissioner we pulled it off without anyone finding out beforehand! They were totally surprised and to say that there were tears would be an understatement! I was told they were the best pins they have ever gotten.
I really hope that someday there is an actual special pin made up just for Guiders to receive from their girls. Great Guiders deserve their own greatness award, because without Guiders there would be no Girl Guides of Canada!
My Guiders were so happy and I think the look on their faces says it all!!
Thanks again for all your help!
Guest post by Cheyenne, who received the Courageous Girl Greatness Award in 2014.
This is a fabulous, thoughtful thing to do Cheyenne! As a Guider, the words and thanks of “my girls” always surprise and delight me because I love what I do and that’s thanks enough. But to receive a pin in this way would indeed be very special and one to treasure.