Volunteer Spotlight: Roxanne Flores "By empowering [girls], I empowered myself"

Roxanne Flores - Killeen Sister Cities Service Unit

I was a girl scout from first grade to sixth grade. I actually earned my Bronze award and loved the process. My family moved from Germany to Louisiana which put an end of my Girl Scouting years. There was not an active Service Unit in my small town in Louisiana, so my Girl Scouting came to an end at that point. I picked it back up when my daughter was in the first grade. I was not a leader then, just a parent volunteer and I loved it. My daughter's troop disbanded during that year and my daughter was placed on the waiting list. I was told the list was over a year long and the only way my daughter would get in a troop immediately would be for me to become a Troop Leader. I honestly was scared at the time because I didn't think I could fit it in my schedule. Thankfully, I was wrong and this was the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

 As a troop leader my goal was for the girls to try new things and make new friends. The first rule we set for our troop was that our girls be from different schools. We wanted them to make new friends and step out of their comfort zone. In hindsight, I am happy I made this rule; I think of the friendships that I now have because of Girl Scouts. Melissa and Tobi are some of my closest friends and we would have never known each other if not for Girl Scouting.

Girl Scouts has affected my life completely—personally and professionally. On a professional level, I work as Volunteer Services Youth Coordinator. I was able to use my experience as a Troop leader when I applied for this job. I had the administrative experience but being a Girl Scout leader prepared me for events as well as working with volunteers. During my time with the service team, I was an event coordinator and that taught me event planning. Now I plan many events over a year. When I first started my job I relied heavily on the experience and trainings I had with the Service Unit.

On a personal level, my life has changed drastically since I became a Troop Leader. The first part was leaving an abusive marriage. It is funny to me that I was so wrapped up in the situation, that I did not see how bad it was till I started stepping away and educating myself through activities built the girls’ self-esteem. By empowering them, I empowered myself. I asked myself one time , " How can I be a great role model and show them a strong woman when I am in this bad situation?" I left the marriage and have never looked back. I completed my education and received my degree.   To this day, the girls don't know how much they helped me! I am in awe when we go somewhere and the girls immediately pick up or clean an area because they learned a Girl Scout always leaves a place better than it was before. I see the confidence these girls have when they speak in public and how they try different things because change is good. I see the girls following the Girl Scout law on a daily basis. Girl Scouting is not an activity they do once a week but instead a standard of how the live their lives.

I am the mother of three children; Devon is 18 years old, Olivia is 13 years old, and Shiloh is 1. My son has had cancer twice in his lifetime and I admire his zest for life. I never hear him complain and whenever I feel like complaining, I think of everything he has faced or is facing on a daily basis. I am engaged to be married this month and look forward to the day. I received my Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Texas Women's University. I am actively involved with the Special Olympics as a volunteer and am also a proud parent of an athlete. I am a board member of Killeen Sister Cities Osan Korea, Killeen Chamber of Commerce Public Education Committee, and Friends of the Killeen Library, Keep Killeen Beautiful, and Relay for Life. I have been a Girl Scout Troop Leader for 7 years, and this is my fifth year on the Service Team. I have held several positions with the service team: Event Coordinator, Area Delegate, Secretary, FOGS Chairperson, and Media Communications Chair. I work full time with the City of Killeen and I will hit the twenty year mark in October. I enjoy my job tremendously and love coming to work and love the spirit of Team Killeen.

Volunteer Spotlight: Kathy Beifuss, keeping the Service Unit together

"Kathy Beifuss serves in numerous positions on the service team and she stepped forward to serve when there was a re-organization of their service unit (SU) made by the council.

A while back, the SU was hit with a blow in leadership. Kathy quickly stepped up to assist new leadership, which allowed the unit to stay together. She not only maintained it, but made it stronger over the next two years. The Girl Scouts in that SU would have suffered had it fallen apart. It would have taken a huge effort to rebuild it.  Then, when a second round of leadership changes occurred, this volunteer kept the SU together once again!  

She has wonderfully served the Bryan-College Station SU in more capacities than her assistant director position calls for: Silver Award consultant, travel application approvals, facilitator in camping and program levels, communications, troop problem solver, SU date reminders, she ensures cookie sales information is submitted, and is also the Camp Howdy site crew and camping manager. 

Kathy Beifuss is a strong, silent (unless it involves tent folding) force, who helps keep a large metropolitan SU together, providing girls the fullest, most rewarding Girl Scout experience they can have."

Kathy is a treasure to Girl Scouts of Central Texas and we couldn't be more proud of her. Thank you for all your hard work, Kathy!

Today's volunteer feature was submitted by Debra Turner, a troop leader and SU Troop Organizer for the Bryan-College Station SU. Thanks, Debra!

Spanish-Themed Mystery Dinner Event Serves Up Dares and Laughter

On a recent November evening, 40 Girl Scouts from ten troops, grades six through ten, attended a mystery dinner organized for them by a trio of troop leaders.

Upon arrival at the Leander VFW Hall, Girls were assigned a Spanish alias, a secret mission, and a prop. Props included butterfly wings, cowgirl hats, Hawaiian leis, boas, and tiaras. The girls were presented with menus that were intentionally impossible to decipher, and required to choose items for each of three courses.

 

While the Girls waited for their first course to arrive, they began their secret missions. The girls with the butterfly wings fluttered around the table every time they heard the words "Good luck".  The girls with cowgirl props shouted "Yahoo" when they received a new plate.  And the girls with the Hawaiian leis stood up and did a hula dance whenever the person to their right was served.

The first course arrived and the cryptic menu did not disappoint. Girls were served beans without forks, ice cream without spoons, taco meat without taco shells, and conversely, taco shells without taco meat.  The resourceful Girl Scouts used straws to pierce beans, chips to scoop cold desserts, and makeshift straw-chopsticks to eat taco meat.

The room was filled with happy chatter and laughter as girls continued to fulfill their secret missions and found innovative ways to eat their dinner without proper utensils. After dinner, plates were cleared and the girls played games, took group photos, and closed the event with a friendship spiral. “The girls left with smiles and laughter, happy for having been stars of the show, and happy for having fun with other Girl Scouts,” said Bobbe Walker, Monarch Service Unit Director.

Photo: Girls in photo are Lindsey W., Claudia E., Aroa O., Sarah A.​ from Troop 2293.