Girl Scouts

5 parent questions ▼
Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Berkeley Girl Scout troops

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    Aug 27, 2023

    Hi all, my daughter is in first grade at Malcom X in Berkeley, and we are looking for potential Girl Scout troops in the area. I’m not seeing any Berkeley ones online, but hoping people here can advise on any in the area? Thanks! 

    Aug 27, 2023

    We have quite a few Malcolm X kids in Scouts Berkekey Pack 30 (all genders). We have probably 30-50% girls, depending on the grade level. We’ll be at the Solano Stroll on Sept 10th if you want to stop by and chat.

    Jerry Liang is a 2nd grade dad and our Pack leader. His wife is very involved, as am I, for 2nd grade.

    The first Pack 30 meeting of the school year was at 6pm on Monday, August 28th in Live Oak Park. Grade level den meetings are just getting started.

    Pack meetings (K-5th grade) are held at 6pm in North Berkeley (Live Oak Park or Epworth Church) on the last Monday of the month Aug to May/June.

    Scouts also meet with their “den” (grade level) one Monday evening each month to work on learning the skills to earn badges and advance their rank. These include skills that focus on personal integrity, teamwork, outdoor survival, safety and knowledge of nature.

    Optional opportunities also include a 1 monthly service opportunity (ex. food bank), 1 monthly group hiking opportunity, 1 fall camping and 1 spring camping overnight.

    Info on completing the registration process, with links to all the forms and payment options, can be found here: 

    https://www.berkeleypack30.org/join-us

    I am happy to answer questions, and I can also email the official parent membership coordinator:  membership [at] berkeleypack30.org

    Aug 30, 2023

    This was recently posted in our school newsletter: 

    Berkeley parents are launching a new Girl Scout troop serving 1st or 2nd grade kids. We know that there are a few school specific girl scout troops that are connected to individual public schools in Berkeley. This troop is for girls (or children who identify with she/her pronouns) who would like to meet kids from other local Berkeley schools and build leadership skills and community.

    The troop will meet twice a month on Sundays from 3-5pm. There will be 12 kids in the group.

    I️f you are interested, please email nitzan.pelman [at] gmail.com or rachelgita [at] gmail.com 

    Deadline to express interest is Sept 7th.

    Aug 30, 2023

    Hello, I'm glad to hear that Malcolm X is organizing troops.  Many of the scouts in my daughter's current troop were Malcolm X kids -- they are now 8th graders.  I wanted to share that there are also events you can attend next week to get more information about Girl Scouts and participating in a Troop in the Berkeley/Albany Service Unit. 

    September 16th from 4-5:30 at Cedar Rose Park RSVP here:   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/berkeley-and-albany-ca-girl-scouts-meet-gr…

    September 12 from  7-8:30 at Epworth Church. RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/berkeley-and-albany-ca-girl-scouts-meet-gr…

    Sep 9, 2023

    Berkeley Albany girls interested in Scouting may consider Troop 42, the ScoutsBSA girl troop for girls age 5th grade or older. It's a great group of about 15 girls from around Berkeley/Albany/Oakland interested in a little more outdoorsy and ScoutsBSA leadership model, merit badges, rank advancement and option to earn Eagle. I started the troop, and am still involved a bit. New Scoutmaster is Brian Sullivan. So far two girls earned Eagle before going to college. the troop meets every Tuesday eve 7:30pm at St. Mary Madeline church fellowship hall. Visitors are welcome anytime. Email me if you'd like more info. jskinner1963 [at] gmail.com

    Sep 15, 2023

  • Feedback about Girl Scouts in Berkeley

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    May 3, 2021

    Hello!

    My daughter will be entering 6th grade next year and she is considering Girl Scout troop 33530.  I was a GS as a kid and I think the right troop could be a good fit for her.  Unfortunately, my work schedule is not conducive to volunteering much myself and this is intimidating to me, as I know that GS sometimes requires a lot of time from parents.  So would appreciate feedback on this piece of joining as well.

    My daughter is a goofy, imaginative, sensitive, sometimes socially clumsy but loving and friendly kid.  She is a little geeky, loves Star Wars, Harry Potter and all Fantasy...  She is relatively unexperienced with camping, etc, but I think she could grow to love it. She does love nature.  One might describe her as kind of a "Ferdinand" from the children's book--dreamy, loves pondering flowers, moves slowly through the world.  Wondering if our local troop here in/near Berkeley might be a good fit?  

    Thanks so much!

    May 3, 2021

    Hi! I was a Girl Scout troop leader for seven years and want to offer up that the experience is very much what the leaders make of it. Some troops follow Girl Scout "curriculum" and are led by people who are kind of Girl Scout Leaders For Life. Others are more laid back. My best friend's kid's troop in Sacramento doesn't have a leader (except on paperwork) and the parents rotate meeting responsibilities and have VERY (maddeningly) high expectations of each other. I recommend talking directly with the leader about expectations.

    Also...there are probably more troops than you realize near to you. The Girl Scout HQ for the Bay Area (on Edgewater) can let you know what troops are nearby this school year so you can reach out to leaders.

    May 5, 2021

  • Boy scout vs Girl scout activities and time commitment

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    Sep 7, 2017

    I have a boy and a girl and am looking at boy and girl scout programs.  Anyone know the time commitment for a parent with elementary school kid in boy scout and girl scout?  Based on what I read online, it seems boy scout is less time consuming, less focus on fundraising (no dreaded cookie sales), and is more active, but my sources could have been biased.  I am looking for a fun activity, with minimal parental time commitment required and that my kids will enjoy.  I hate (and I use such a strong word rarely) direct sales and part of me hopes my girl decides against girl scout just so that I can avoid the cookie sale season.  I heard it takes over people's lives -- but I never found out the consequences of not participating in the selling activities if she decides to join -- anyone knows?  I'm leaning towards having my boy join boy scout and having my girl skip on joining and just attend her brother's boy scout events since at the cub level I was told families and siblings were invited for the larger trips (i.e. camping, etc).  I guess at this point I'm looking at information to decide if these scout groups are worth it, would be fun for the kids, and are something I can handle on top of an already very busy life?  

    Sep 7, 2017

    I was a Girl Scout troop co-leader for a couple years and my daughters have participated in several different troops. For us, it was definitely worth it. The program is flexible and empowering, and I think it's meaningful for girls to have their own scouting experience. Parent time commitment varied from troop to troop and person to person -- it's really hard to generalize, but most troops these days are run on a co-op model, which means you would have some ongoing responsibilities, and in all of our troops the parents were expected (but probably not required) to help out with camping trips and field trips and other group activities. I think cookie sales only took over the lives of the parents in charge, which it seems you're unlikely to be. For the girls, the time commitment depends on how many boxes each girl wants to sell and and the sales goals set by the troop as a whole. Looking back, I believe my daughters developed a lot of confidence and initiative, and learned to feel comfortable talking to a wide range of people because they did cookies sales, and they've kept these skills six years down the road, but I can't speak to other girls' experience. At any rate, consequences for not participating would also depend on your troop -- I think some troops offer "buy-out" options for families that would rather make a donation than actually sell cookies, but none of our troops did that. The one thing I want to add is that a universal complaint among troop leaders (and I imagine this is the same for boy scouts) is the parent who doesn't keep in mind that the whole local organization is run by volunteers. Every time a parent doesn't turn in a piece of paperwork because they're too busy to fill it out, or decides not to participate in an activity that needs parent support, or pulls their kid from a cookie sales booth or other commitment, they're directly adding to the workload of another person who also has a very busy life. I hope both your kids participate in scouting, but if your need to minimize your time commitments would translate into more work for a troop leader or den leader, you might want to restrict your search to activities with paid staff.

    Sep 12, 2017

    My son doesn't participate in any of these types of fundraisers. I ask how much they hope for each person to raise and then donate that amount. You could buy the cookies and then give them away as gifts. I hated doing sales like this as a kid and have no desire to go through it again as a parent. If I thought that I was depriving my son of an important life lesson I'd suck it up. But the only life lesson that I learned was what a bad use of my time it was. 

    Sep 13, 2017

    I found Boy Scouts more time consuming. They required a parent attend every meeting, whereas I could drop off my girl at Girl Scouts and help out with one-time commitments. Cookie sale was a good experience for my daughter. It was a bit time consuming for me, but we could have skipped it without consequence.

    Sep 13, 2017

    Have you considered 4-H?  It offers activities for both girls and boys, and there is almost no fund-raising involved.  You did not specify location but there are several clubs in the East Bay.  As a mom of a girl and boy, joining two different scouting troops seems like an inefficient use of my very limited time. 

    http://4halameda.ucanr.edu/4-H_Club_Contacts/

    Sep 13, 2017

    My daughters are in girl scouts and I don't find it to be a significant time commitment at all. They have meetings every other week and the meetings are drop-off. You are of course welcome to volunteer with the troop if you want to, but I truly don't understand this resistance to girl scouts on the basis of it being overwhelming, time-wise. The cookie sales aren't bad, though "dreaded" is a strong word. The fall sales are really terrible and I have opted out of them. It depends on the troop. You can just look for a troop that doesn't do fall sales. 

    I wouldn't allow my child to be part of boy scouts, myself. They are an entirely different organization from girl scouts, and they are politically very troubling. Like no way, no how, hate their anti-gay agenda. And it feels sad to me that you would make your boy the higher priority and just send your daughter along for the ride. 

    There are alternatives to both of these organizations that I'm sure others will mention. I personally love girl scouts though I struggle with the sales. But this time commitment issue is so weird, I don't know where this idea came from. Just don't volunteer if you don't want to!

    Sep 13, 2017

    My daughter and son have both been in scouting and it's been rewarding. I want to address specifically your concern about cookie sales. Before my daughter started her first sales I detested the idea. It seemed uncouth to be pimping out the kids to make money. I came around to seeing it as a very positive thing the very first day. I saw her go from shyly mumbling "do you want to buy something" when someone answered the door to giving her pitch and answering questions clearly and with good manners. It's also very empowering for the kids to be making their own money for their projects and activities (my daughter's troop went to Oregon in middle school with their own money). Cookies were never that much work for us. That said, my understanding is that Cub Scouts is supposed to be a parent participation activity, though it may not always be so in practice. And Girl Scout troops are mostly co-op, where the work is divided among the parents. I agree with another commenter, you may need to stick with activities run by paid staff if you're looking for a drop-off activity that won't require work from you.

    Sep 13, 2017

    Hi there, busy fellow parent,

    I've been a co-leader of GS troops and my daughter has been a happy and engaged member of 2 separate troops for the last 7 years. My daughter has reaped huge benefits from her GS experiences and has already informed me that she plans on continuing until she graduates HS and maybe beyond .I have also made some really great friends, which has been an unexpected but very much appreciated bonus. GS is a state of mind, a philosophy, and a huge support of girls of all ages. It is NOT free day care. BTW, selling cookies is a pain in the ass, if you're a grown up, but the girls mostly really enjoy it and it's considered both a learning experience (confidence-building, business acumen, money smarts) and a way to fund all of the awesome activities that GS is famous for. And it's for ONE MONTH A YEAR,  THAT'S ALL. If you can't commit to some participation in the troop, because this is a 100% volunteer organization, and some participation IS expected, because you look pretty shabby if you don't (yes, selling the cookies, but also carpooling girls to activities, participating in meetings, activities, potlucks, camping trips, etc) then GS is probably not for you. Because you're basically asking to get something for nothing, and that's not how GS works, and not the behavior that we as parents and women want to model for the children, the girls, and,  ultimately, the  young women in our troops. I was complaining to a much older and wiser friend about it once; I said, "I don't really know why I'm doing this, it's so much work," and she said, 'you're doing it because your daughter loves it, and you love your daughter." EXACTLY.

    Sep 13, 2017

    I would wholeheartedly agree with the first poster and add to that. You say that you want an activity with "minimal parental time commitment" and the thing is, scouting is designed to be a family activity with parental involvement. All the great things scouts get to do - camping, field trips, crafts, etc.- are all supported by involvement by ALL parents, not just the troop leader, and that is part of the experience. BTW, both Boy and Girl Scout have fundraising activities, and this is part of the deal - it's a way for the kids to learn about earning money to fund things they want to do, along with collaboration, business sense, etc. It also is what keeps scouting affordable and accessible, because that is what subsidizes the various activities. I would also say it is only one aspect of the experience.  Anyway, as stated by the prior poster, the troop leader and the parents managing the sales take the heaviest hit, but if your intention with scouts is to find an activity that doesn't require parent involvement, this is not the one.  In terms of whether to sign up your daughter or your son, I would agree that it would definitely challenging to be involved in BOTH Boy and Girl Scouts. I think you should consider each of your children and which would benefit more end enjoy it more. My daughter is in Girl Scouts and because she is not into sports, it's been great for her to meet other kids and have that sense of a team. Good luck in your decision. 

    Sep 14, 2017

    I am a current boy scout leader.

    Our Troop, and I believe most, meet weekly, with one weekend outing (may or may not be overnight) a month.  Summer is mostly off, except summer camp!

    We don't require parents to participate, except carpooling sometimes. But we do hope the parents stay connected and help make sure the troop knows which events the boy will attend and which he won't, and help get him ready, as needed. So communications is critical. There are plenty of ways to help out behind the scenes and on a schedule that works for you and your family.

    Traditionally the boy scouts sold popcorn around Christmas as a fund raiser.  I don't know how common that is around here. I am in the Piedmont council, and we do Christmas Tree sales (Moraga Ave! early plug!) as a fund raiser.  Our troop also does a couple during the year (pancake breakfast). The fund raisers are not soliciting strangers, which I know is a challenge, but more about working together on a project.

    Boy scouts is a great program which provides real leadership opportunities within the troop.  I think it is a strong program, and develops real world skills and experiences.  Gotta find a good fit with a troop.  And it really helps if the boys have friends/classmates in the troop together. 

    Sep 14, 2017

    My daughter is in a troop in Oakland. The cookie sales aren't really that bad. Yes, some kids sell 500 boxes, but we usually just sell 65 or so. The kids have fun activities including camping. You should check it out and see if there is a troop that you can feel comfortable being part of. 

    Good luck.

    Sep 17, 2017

    Regarding fundraising - my partner's son just joined cub scouts, and before even having been to his first official den meeting he was already stationed at Safeway for the annual popcorn sale.  He was told that each scout is expected to raise $300 in sales.  As far as I can tell the fundraising expectations are at least as high as they are for girl scouts.

    Sep 20, 2017

    I'm a Girl Scout troop leader in Oakland and have friends whose kids are in Girl Scouts all over. The pressure of cookie sales--and the pressures/time commitment of scouting in general--is almost totally based on the leader. Understand HER expectations before you sign up. There are some really great troops out there, but they all operate in totally different ways. Seek out a low-key troop if it's important to you and your daughter really wants to do it.

    Sep 27, 2017

  • Multipurpose room for Girl Scout sleepover event?

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    Aug 24, 2017

    Hi BPN community,

    I'm a troop leader for girl scouts in oakland and we are trying to figure out where to hold a sleepover nearby. Nearby would involve Berkeley or Oakland. Please let me know if you know of who to reach out to. We are a new troop and do not have a lot of funds, so it would need to be low-cost or donated for our event. I'm happy to share more about the troop and what we are seeking to do.

    Thank you so much!

    Rachel

    Aug 24, 2017

    I've heard that the Ida Smith Girl Scout facility in SF (near Sunset / zoo) is a good place and is about $98 for an overnight.  I've not been there myself, but I've heard that they  have a full kitchen and indoor facilities, but that you can also camp outside.  Really depends what you are trying to do; a fun event is different from just a place to hold a planning meeting.  I did an overnight with my troop at my friend's house who was out of town, and girls slept on hardwood floor.  Have also done backyard camping and church floor camping.  GS official programs also have some good events; we did the Snoopy museum in santa rosa overnight and it wasn't that expensive.

    Aug 30, 2017

    Not much farther away--Twin Canyon Camp in Lafayette is a Girl Scout property available with a place to sleep indoors that you may want to consider.  https://www.gsnorcal.org/en/rental-properties/properties/twin-canyon.ht…

    Have fun!

    Aug 30, 2017

  • Honest Assessment of Girl Scouts Time Commitment

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    Jul 12, 2016

    Hi parents - thinking about Girl Scouts for my 5 year old next year. I have looked at the GS website and haven't seen anything detailed as regards time commitment for parent volunteers (please do send me a link if I've missed this on the official site!).  What is the range for just a regular parent with a girl in GS, troop leader, and cookie sales leader? Please be honest with me! I may still do it, even if the numbers are high!

    How many girls need to be in the troop to make it do-able/sustainable? (not just the official minimum, but enough parents to spread out the workload) Can one Daisy group have both 1st & K girls in it, or is it just one grade? How much is "God"/religion a feature of the official chants/activities? (I thought not at all, but a friend made an offhand comment to the religious traditions in GS.)

    Thanks for any advice! Trying to go into it with both eyes open...

    Jul 12, 2016

    My wife was in GS and was a troop leader for many years.  Essentially she was a teacher, organizer, coordinator, accountant and "mom" to the girls in the troop.  She had major help from two or three other women and could not have done it without their help.  As a troop leader my wife would spend 5-15 hours per week.  It's all going to come down to the other parents respecting you and your time.  If the other parents are slow to respond, don't give you money when asked or volunteer and don't deliver guess who's problem it becomes.  This happened a couple of times over the years with girls in my wife's group.  You either need to ask the girl to leave the troop or or have the other parents fill in including financially and with the cookie sales.  My wife struggled with this as she thought this wasn't fair to the other girls and parents in the troop and it was really adding to her time commitment.  She was wasting so much time with the parents she decided keep the girls and pass the work/financial burden along to the other parents.  (Not sure if that's acceptable under GS rules.)

    Cookies....  It's a family affair to pickup, move and get all of the boxes distributed.  It's you are a good organizer and have some bookkeeping experience it's only expect to spend 10-25 hours additional in cookie season. If ALL of the other parents in the troop have computers and are computer literate it will reduce the amount time.

    Funny you should ask about God/religion in any of the GS.  I know it is (or maybe was) a big deal with Boy Scouts but apparently not for GS.  Good thing too, as a few of the girls in her troop were not of the Christian faith.  God/religion was never mentioned and was never an issue.

    I'm not sure how many girls are required per troop, but 7-12 is what I seem to recall.  It all depends on other parent involvement.  Your time commitment will decrease if other parents are involved.   Like in day care you need about 1 parent really involved for every 3 - 5 girls in the troop.  Not sure why you can't mix grades as long as they are not years apart.

    Hope this helps and I hope you do it.  My wife is glad she did it and my daughters and her friends have memories of the projects and camping trips they took together.  As a troop leader it's a good way to bond with your daughter/s.

    Jul 17, 2016

    As a regular parent, my time has been very minimal. We've brought in some craft supplies and snacks this year. That's it. It will probably depend upon the troop. 

    Jul 20, 2016

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Girl scouts in Berkeley for 10 years old

June 2011

Hi, I am looking for a girl scouts troop in berkeley/Albany area, please advice.

You can contact the Girl Scout offices directly and they can help put you in touch with relevant troops. www.girlscoutsnorcal.org/pages/about/interest_card.html Stacey

Girl Scout Troup in Albany or El Cerrito

August 2010

I'm looking for a girl scout troop for my 10-year-old daughter who will go to 5th grade. It's her first time. It could be in Albany/El Cerrito area. I've contacted Northern California Girl Scouts; it seems the troops are not active in summer and they'll probably get back to me in September. While waiting, I'd like to see if you know any openning. Really appreciate it. Lucy

Hi there. My 10-year old daughter is part of a small Girl Scout troop in El Cerrito. There are currently about 8 girls in the troop, ranging in age from 8-12. Typically we meet every other Tuesday from 4:30 - 6:00 at Christ Lutheran church in El Cerrito at Stockton and Ashbury. We do our own projects but also meet up with other GS troops for such group activities as Camporee, group Sing-a-Longs, etc.

We are in a bit of a state of flux right now as it is summer and we may do things a bit differently in the coming year.

However, we'll probably have our first meeting of the new year after Labor Day.

Looking for a Girl Scout Troop for 2nd Grader

Jan 2010

My 2nd Grader at Rosa Parks would like to join a Girl Scout Troop (Daisy?) in Berkeley/Albany. Does anyone have a recommendation? Cathryn

You should contact the San Francisco Bay Area Girl Scout Council. They can let you know where all the local troops are and whether they have space. I think they are in San Leandro. (510) 562-8470 Nikki

Go here: http://www.girlscoutsnorcal.org/pages/gba/index.html To the right there is a drop down menu on how to find a troop in your county and city. The appropriate contact info is then displayed. That person will help you narrow it down by school or neighborhood and find a troop that works. There is always the option of becoming a ''Juliette'' - a sort of ''free agent'' Girl Scout who doesn't belong to a troop but can participate in any Girl Scout activity. The council can give you more information on that. Welcome to Girl Scouts! Stacey

Want to sign up my 5-year-old daughter

Sept 2008

I'm considering signing up my 5 year old daughter for Girl Scouts. At her age she'd be a Daisy. I wasn't a girl scout myself so I don't really know what it's all about. Looking at their website it appears to be a fun, positive program, with activities my daughter would really enjoy. I'm interested to hear from others who have participated how they liked or disliked it. And how does it compare to YMCA Adventure Guides or other similar programs? I didn't see anything in the archives about the program itself, only tips on how to find a troop. Thanks.

The Girl Scouting program is wonderful for lots of girls, and even those who do it for just a few years consider it a positive experience. However, the specifics of the program often depend on the leader(s), as well as the interests and personalities of the girls in the troop. While all troops do a variety of activities, some do more camping, outdoor activities, etc., some do more handicrafts and similar, and others are very service-focused. If a particular kind of experience is important to your daughter (or to you), be sure to ask detailed enough questions. R.K.

Girl scouts or something similar for 5th grader

Feb 2008

My daughter is in 5th grade, attending a very small private school. She will be moving to King Middle School in the fall and is longing to make new connections with girls in Berkeley who are around her age. She has convinced herself that girl scouts will be the answer. I am wondering if many girls enter girl scouts at age 11 (seems like they might be phasing out around then), and what other people's experiences might be with the girl scouts. Also, are there other types of groups that might fit the bill for her? She is already active with soccer and theater. anon please

You might want to check out Campfire USA. They used to be Campfire Girls, but are now more co-ed. The cool thing about them is they very much stand for inclusiveness (they welcome people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and sexual orientations, and are completely nonsectarian). The have programs for youth and teens. I would imagine that Girls Scouts does too, though, but I have never been involved with them, so I'm not sure. Alesia

I think your daughter's idea is great one! Yes, the younger years (elementary) years are the most popular for girl scouts. However, they have an incredible ''older girl'' program for middle schoolers and high schoolers that focuses on in-depth exploration of interest areas, learning about careers, developing a positive body image, leadership, fantastic international travel opportunities and so on... And they've been doing this successfully for many years because when I was a teenager my girl scout experience was the single most important positive influence on my life. You can find out more on the girl scout website as well as from the San Francisco Bay Area office. Also, because the troops are smaller and the girls more mature they can create a wonderful community that would be great for a girl in transition such as your daughter. Roxanne

Best way to see if Girl Scouts is a good fit for your daughter is to visit a troop meeting. It's true some girls phase out of scouting at 11, 12, or 13, but it's also true that many girls stay in. For those that stay in, the activity opportunities really expands. For example, in Berkeley there's a group that visits Japan. Call GS staffer Carol Stewart, 510-562-8470, to get a list of appropriate Berkeley troops. Or, you and your daughter can start a troop! Carol can help you with that as well.

In answer to one of your questions - yes, girls often start to drop out at the middle school transition, but yes, some girls do join then, too. The opportunities available tot these older girl scouts are great. former leader

Your daughter is an excellent problem-solver! There is a group of sixth graders I know of at King who are Girl Scouts, contact Carol Stewart, Community Development Director, carol [at] girlscoutsbayarea.org (510) 562-8470 x113 to find the troop contract. Girls come and go from Girl Scout troops at all ages. Even older Scouts will join new troops as old troops disband and new ones form. While it is true that some girls drift away as they get older, I personally think GS programs for older girls are even better now than when I was a GS during high school! Girl Scouts gave me a powerful sense of belonging and a place to sing (and no one cared about my voice). Give it a try. Girl Scout fan

Brownie/Girl Scouts in El Cerrito area

July 2007

I live in El Cerrito and I've been having great difficulty finding a Brownie Troop for my 7 year old daughter. We tried to get into three different troops in El Cerrito because she has freinds in those troops, but they have all been full for a while now. I contacted the community development director for the West Contra Costa County Girls Scout Association and they siad they would get back to me with info on troops in my area with openings. A week later I got a one call from a troop leader who has openings. However her troop is way too expansive geographically. Her troop consists of girls from all over West Contra Costa County as far north as Hercules and Pinole. They meet at the Rod and Gun club in Richmond which is not my cup of tea and it's really out of the way for us, on the coastal area north of Point Richmond. My duaghter doesn't know anyone in that troop and it would feel like we are out of our element and community all together. We are hoping to find a troop more lo! cal and intimate. There must be more troops in El Cerrito. How about Kensington or Albany? Any ideas of how I can get more info on local troops? Why is it so difficult to find a troop that has openings? I thought Girl Scouts were everywhere. Are there other people to contact that may have better information?

Everyone keeps suggesting that I start my own troop, but I'm not that kind of mom who is super organized and has all the free time to commit to that much responsibility. And non of my friends do either. Perhaps the real problem is a shortage of parents who have the time and ability to start and lead a troop, resulting in a shortage of available troops. Or maybe it is the shortage of large meeting spaces for larger groups, thus limiting the number of girls who can join. LF

Your daughter can always register with the Girl Scouts as a Juliette, which is a non-Troop affiliated Girl Scout. She wouldn't get the benefit of attending Troop meetings but she would be able to participate in Association events.

Girl Scouts has requirements around adult-child ratios and that is probably what is limiting the size of the troops. Have you asked the leaders of the closed troops if you can volunteer or be a co-leader? Then they might be able to expand. It is a commitment but you don't need to be ''super organized'' or have ''all the time'' -- I work full time, travel frequently for business, and still manage a troop of 18 girls. You and your friends could also form a co-op troop, where each parent takes one meeting and the responsibilty rotates.

Finally, one of the points of Girl Scouts is to make new friends. While it is understandable that your daughter would want to be in a troop with girls she knows, meeting and becoming friends with girls from different backgrounds could be a valuable growth experience for her. Mom of a Happy Brownie

You *can* get into a troop, or start a new troop, but it will take prodding the Girl Scouts office in Oakland a lot. It's not that they don't want to help, but in my experience they need reminders. Some parents at my daughter's school (Tehiyah, in El Cerrito) have expressed interest in joining a Brownie troop.

Also, you might consider starting a co-op troop. It's a great way to share the work. My daughter's troop in Alameda is a co-op troop. All of the parents are co-leaders, which means we share responsibilities. One parents attends council meetings, another handles cookie sales, some go on field trips, and we all take turns leading a meeting. We keep it very low-key; our troop's uniform is only a Brownie vest. Other troops may go sash-only, or choose more. Betsy

Looking for cub scouts and brownies

July 2003

Greetings - We're looking for a great Brownie Troop for our 9 1/2 year old third grader (who attends Tehiyah Day School) and a great Cub Scout Troop for our 7 1/2 year old first grader (who also attends TDS). We'd really appreciate recommendations for troops near our North Oakland neighborhood (which would include Rockridge, Elmwood, or Piedmont). Recommendations in the archives are for Boy Scouts and therefore too old for my Cub. Any information as to how to connect with the specific troop would be great, as the Boy Scouts website is under construction and therefore not much help at all with specifics in our area. Many thanks! Deborah

You don't mention it, but have you tried the Girl Scouts webpage at www.girlscoutsbayarea.org. If you visit there, or better yet, call the local Council Office at (800) 447-4475, they can match you with a troop in your area. Former Girl Scout

This is probably not the best time to be looking for scout troops. Both scout troops my children are in are winding down for the year. Your best bet is to call both council offices in the late summer and try and get hooked up then. Scouting Mom

Girl Scouts

October 2001

I am looking for a Brownie troop for my 1st grade daughter and her 2nd grade friend in Oakland (North, Montclair, Redwood Heights - we're flexible). I called the council a month ago and they said they'd put us on a waiting list and someone would call. I still haven't heard from anyone so I'd appreciate any leads you can give. Michael 

I just went through this process of finding a troop for my daughter. Here are the steps I took:
1. I emailed Sandra Munoz at the GS Council office in oakland: Sandra at girlscoutsbayarea.org. She sent a form to me at my home that I filled out and returned. It was a form to request placement in a troop (troop leaders call the office when they are looking for more girls for their troops). Shortly thereafter I received a confirmation postcard that my form had been received. I did not hear anything else for a month.

2. So, I decided to contact a few mom's of friends of my daughter's who I knew had been in or were in a troop. One of the moms offered to ask her daughter's troop leader if there was space, but there was not.

3. I called Sandra Munoz (about a month after I initially contacted her) and let her know that I was still interested. Within a week she called back to say a new troop was forming. We went to the meeting and it turned out to be a very nice group.

4. The same week that we went to the meeting above, the leader from the first troop called to say a spot had opened up and would my daughter be interested. Since my daughter's good friend was in the first troop, she wanted to switch.

To sum up, I would call or email Sandra and let her know you are still interested, and I would ask other parents your daughter's classmates and see if they know of any troops. Good luck! Kim

Have you tried Girl Scouts of America headquarters? They are located in Oakland they should be able to give you a listing of Brownie Troops. The number is 562-8470. I hope this helps. Tamara

I am looking for a girl scout troop for my 10 year old (5th grade) daughter near the Montclair, Piedmont, or Rockridge areas. I have contacted a number of schools and the girl scout office without luck. My husband and I are happy to help out with troop activities. Any help locating a troop is much appreciated. Marjori 

If the SF Bay Council (http//www.sfbgirlscouts.org/ can't give you information on a troop with an opening, your best bet is to start your own with your daughter and some of her friends. It's easy and the Council will help you. The troops are usually made of girls around the same age, with parent volunteers running things, and it's hard to find a troop willing to add more girls. I've been involved with my daughter's troop since the girls were in kindergarten and they're now in 6th grade. It's fun and the Scout office has lots of resources. Good luck! Cathy

Here's some advice re finding/starting a girl scout troop.

I've been a co-leader for three years. Another mom at our elem school and I started a brownie troop when our daughters were in first grade. I recruited a graduate student co-leader last year, which worked almost as well. I've learned that if you really want your child to have an experience like this, you're better off commiting yourself to being very involved, and admittedly, it's a lot of work!

I just spoke with the SF Bay Area girl scout council, and they ask that you either call or e-mail Dolores Reveles -- 510-562-8470 ext 107 or dolores at sanfranciscobayarea.org.

It's recruitment time -- they're getting lots of calls like yours -- and they are interested in seeing as many troops form as possible, so you may have a chance. Good luck!

Yours, Melissa

You should call the East Bay Regional Girl Scout Council on Edgewater Avenue in Oakland. They can connect you with other troops in your area. Good luck; scouting is a fun activity ofr girls and parents. Your daughter would belong in a group called Daises. Sharon

We have openings for 10 year old girls in our troop, but we are located in El Cerrito. We would love to have you if you are willing to make the trek. We meet twice a month on Wednesdays at 545-710. Scouting has many fun activities with the larger association, such as the upcoming Camporee weekend and the spring songfest and dance festivals. Otherwise, you can contact the SF Bay Girl Scouts at 510-562-8470 or e-mail at info at sfbgirlscouts.org for something closer to home. Wendy