World Thinking Day 2009

The festive season of January is almost over. New Year, New Life mania has passed; no more tikoy for those who celebrated with Chinese in welcoming 2009. But who said that February would merely be flowers and chocolates and red all around?

February is such an exciting month for us girl scouts, not only here in the Philippines but in all scouting and guiding movements around the world. In this month we’ll be celebrating 2009 World Thinking Day, which will surely mark history once again.

What is the World Thinking Day?

Each year on 22 February, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world celebrate World Thinking Day. World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at the 4th Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy.Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all around the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their "sister" Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The delegates chose 22 February as the date for Thinking Day because it was the mutual birthday of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout Movement, and his wife Olave, who served as World Chief Guide. (Source: WAGGGS’ World Thinking Day Official Website)

How can we change the world on this day?

This year’s theme for the World Thinking Day is: “girls worldwide say “stop the spread of AIDS, malaria and other diseases”. It is part of the WAGGG’s Global Action Plan (GAT) and links to the United Nation’s Millenium Development Goal #6 which is ‘Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases’.
On this day, girl guides and girls scouts will celebrate through various activities that will help us explore the issue of contagious diseases such as HIV and AIDS. From research activities to poster designing, each of us will take part as we make a big step in addressing one of the problems in the society.

What will the Girl Scouts of the Philippines do on World Thinking Day 2009?

Each local council will surely have special activities on February 22. But be excited as we launch an exciting event for WTD 2009. On the first week of February, visit this page as we start our WTD 2009 challenge for the girl scouts here in the Philippines!

Here’s good news: you need not to wait for February 1 to start celebrating for the World Thinking Day 2009! As early as now, you can have the perks by joining the World Thinking Day 2009 Give Away Raffle! Just enter your name and email address in the contest generator widget and you’re not far from winning GSP merchandise and other cool stuff! Our draw will be on February 22, 2009! What are you waiting for? Join now and spread the word!

Bravo 2008!

Every year comes and goes, leaving a string of precious memories behind. But the most colorful strands of memory came from the year 2008. I will always remember this year as a bittersweet year of hellos and goodbyes. It was the year when I finally left my high school garments of the robes of college. And with this came two of my most enjoyable experiences in Girl Scout. Not to mention the outlook I had before reaching the campsite of the latest encampment I attended and for that I would like to sing a bravo song for the unique and perfect site for us girls to realize that ants as well, are part of this planet earth. I know right... I’m pleased to be one of the various girls who stepped in the Central Luzon Regional Office on 20^th- 29^th of April ’08 and be one of the registered GSP’s in the 34th National Encampment.

This camp will always be memorable because it was the last camp of my high school days. One more thing, during the NSCC’07 we had an action planning for a project to be done within the school year and it is with pleasure that I say, we successfully accomplished ours in the year 2008. It was for the first time that the Visayas Regional Senior- Cadet Conference was done under the activities of the National Conference. It wouldn’t be possible of course if not with the cooperation of the techno patrol, the girls, the tita's, and our very own Girl Representative- Frances Valerie Natividad.

It will always be the year where I spent time with friends both old and new and bonded with other Girl Scouts who taught me things I would never have learned if I mind not my growth. The year 2009 will be filled with twists and turns that I‘ll never expect but because of all the things that being a Girl Scout has taught me in 2008, I will definitely face the year with courage in my heart and hope in my soul. Happy New Year girls!

(written by Cadet Girl Scout Frances May C. Realino, Leyte Council)

As we start a new year, let's look back and see what made our 2008 special and memorable! Share your stories and photos here!
Send them to gspworldcafe@gmail.com!
Happy New Year! :)