Why I'm in Guiding
Submitted by:
Dorothy Kelly-Walsh
Area Commissioner, Prov Trainer (among other things)
kellywalsh@THEZONE.NET
I've read these wonderful experiences that some of you have shared with us.
They give insight into how things change (or don't change) over the
years! Here's my little story (rather long)
I left guiding as a teenager, with much interest left in the program, but I
was too young to be a guider (had to be 21 then) and too young to fit in
with the adults that were, for the most part, at least one generation older
than I was at the time. Back in those days, age DID make a difference.
As a young married mom, later on, I volunteered to help with the local
units as leader, tester, helper, whatever. I was turned down 3 times my
the District Commissioner(did you count them - three!). that doesn't
include the times I spoke to the Guiders in my daughter's unit!
Persistence, to others torment, is one of my strong points, and perhaps the
ability to be a "peace disturber" - as we were called through high school -
helped me to dig in my heels and keep asking the same question, just to see
how many people there were in guiding who really couldn't use a young,
energetic, willing, and dependable human being to help them! finally I
gave up! It was of no use - Commissioner felt the district couldn't use
my help. I felt like an outcast; the district had given me so much over
the years - even a trip to a National event, but I wasn't good enough to
give back some of the things that I had learned. Scorned, I accepted this
fact.
Then my daughter moves to a new school and I call the DC to ask what the
chances were of her Transferring into that district. "Yes," she said.
"On one condition," she continued." "We'd love to have you for a leader,"
she announces! Well, that was the beginning. I've spent more than ten
years now trying to make up for lost time, and thoroughly enjoying every
minute - even the hardest times and the hardest lessons.
Old images die hard, and I'm sure this type of story has happened
elsewhere, but we have to be self-committed people, as well as committed to
an organization. By standing up for what we believe in, and "making
waves" we can sometimes affect positive attitudes and change!!
Dorothy Kelly-Walsh
Area Commissioner, Prov Trainer (among other things)