By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe times Editor
She was flabbergasted, touched, humbled – and she didn’t guess it was really her until she heard her name.
When Kathy White’s name was called as the Friend of the Year at the recent Friends of the Library Fashion Show, cheers went up throughout the hall, but none so joyous as from the tables full of her friends and fellow Altruasians.
White was described Mistress of Ceremony Pam Trammell as a “forward-thinking, contemporary entrepreneur” who has built a service that is “second to none” in the community.
“For many years, without fail, she has maintained an active membership in the Friends of the Library,” Trammell said. “Beginning with the very first Fashion Show some 12 years ago, she has attended, contributed, and participated in its growth. She routinely donates time, resources, talent and products to help our fashion show succeed, whether items for our goody bags and door prizes, or making sure that the models look their very best from head to toe!”
White is a long-time member of the Dexter Altrusa International Club and is past president of the organization.
“She has furthered the cause of literacy, changing lives by helping those in our community find the materials and the skills to educate themselves and their families for a better tomorrow,” Trammell said.
White has given her time and talents to the Stoddard County Children’s Home and the local women’s shelter, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Alturas Scholarship at Dexter high School.
“Her friends describe her as one who always answers with, ‘Yes, we can do it and we will figure out how!’” Trammell added. “She has an innate recognition of the fact that the better we become on the inside as well as the outside, the more confidence we have, and that confidence is what creates success.”
White was presented with a bouquet of roses from Lucas Florist and was escorted down the fashion show runway to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Her name will be added to a plaque that is displayed in Dexter’s Keller Public Library.
Photo Above: Kathy White (right) was honored this weekas the 2012 Friends of the Library "Friend of the Year". Presenting her with roses at the Friends Fashion Show was Library Director Pam Trammell. (SMT photo by Annabeth Miller)
By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
[A uniform] gives a certain prestige in the community. When a girl is seen in uniform, people recognize her as a girl who is courteous and obliging… The uniform puts every girl on the same footing…[and] makes a useful dress for her to work and play in at the meetings."
—Girl Scout Leader's Manual, circa 1917
Girl Scouting has gone through the last 100 years as a constant – a n organization that founder Juliette Gordon Low said was a “circle of friends united by ideals.”
But perhaps the most apparent through 100 years is in the uniform. Influenced by supply, demand, and fashion, the modifications reveal the organization's response to the changing needs of girls. Regardless of whether or not it's made of cotton, wool, rayon, or nylon, the uniform has always symbolized the high ideals for which Girl Scouting stands.
A group of local Girl Scouts helped illustrate that uniform change at the annual Friends of the Library Fashion Show this week. From the tradition Brownie Girl Scout uniform – with beanie and little front pocket – to the first “pants suit” uniform for leaders, the models offered a slice of local Girl Scout history.
ShowMe Times Photo Gallery
One hundred years ago today, Juliette Gordon Low of Savannah, Georgia, went to the phone in her home, called her niece, and proclaimed:
"I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!"
And Girl Scouting was born!
And since that time literally millions of girls and young women and been a part of this movement.
In the early days, women could purchase a handbook, learning about the program, register with the national headquarters, and establish a troop in their hometown. Girl Scouts arrived in Dexter in 1934 and Mrs. Francis Strickland was the leader.
Day camp, Round-Up, First Class and God and Community ceremonies, Camp Latonka, troop meetings and trips ... they have all been a part of the Girl Scout experience in Dexter and Stoddard County.
Some industrious Girl Scouts have sent the ShowMe Times their memories of Girl Scouting - in photo form A very special Girl Scout Memories photo gallery has been created, and will be added to throughout Girl Scout Week. Take a peak at what all the Girl Scouts have accomplished!
A very special thanks to June O'Daniel Lawrence for a number of photos from the 1960s and 1970s from the Bloomfield Girl Scout program. Leader June Welborn knew the power of photographs - and so did June's father, JR O’Daniell, who was publisher of the Bloomfield Vindicator.
“This special anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the long and proud history of Girl Scouting and to engage our girls in making our communities and the world a better place,” said Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland’s interim CEO, Anne Soots. “It is also an opportunity to thank the countless committed volunteers in our community who give so much to Girl Scouting all year long. The encouragement, coaching and resources from adults are crucial for girls to be able to develop their leadership skills.”
Girls will be celebrating through the end of 2012, including at the Believe in Girls 5K and Expo in Springfield, Missouri on March 31, 2012 and Camporees in Sikeston, Sedalia, and Nevada in September. They will also, as always, give back to their communities in big ways. During this year’s Girl Scout Cookie Program, many Girl Scout troops have participated in the Cookie Share program, through which Girl Scout Cookies are shared with military organizations or food pantries. At summer camp and locally, girls will also be participating in Girl Scouts Forever Green projects to promote environmental stewardship.
Photo Above: Girl Scouts love flag ceremonies - and a very special one was held in 2004 when the Girl Scout Service Center in Dexter was dedicated. Members of the patrol included (from left) Malinda Mayo, Lynn Plummer, and Britney Bagby (Archive photo from Annabeth Miller)
ShowMe Times Photo Gallery
Girl Scout Memories
