Scott County, Tennessee
FNB Chronicles

This page was created 06 Sep 2008

JULIETTE LOW organized the first Girl Scout troop in Savannah, Georgia in 1912. It has grown from 18 girls to over three million, nationwide.

Camp Fire girls had groups in Oneida as early as the 1930s, but Girl Scouting wasn’t begun in Scott County until sometime in early 1953. BROMMA PARNELL (PEMBERTON) was president of the Oneida Business and Professional Women’s Club and spearheaded the effort to organize and have the B & PW Club sponsor the formation of Lone Troop 1.

Lone Troop 1, with 24 girls, was lead by Mrs. EDRIE HUFF and ADRIENNE BAKER. Outings to the fire tower and camps at Cooper’s Lake, Oneida City Park and Camp Tanasi have highlighted activities the local Girl Scouts have undertaken.

Membership has always been rather small, even when troops were added in Huntsville, Elgin and Robbins in the late 1960s.

Over the years, Girl Scout troops have participated in parades, decorated booths at the Scott County Fair, participated in annual Girl Scout cookie sales and participated in camps.

Some of the volunteers who were instrumental in the early years for the continuation of Girl Scouting in Scott County are BROMMA PEMBERTON, EDRIE HUFF, LORA MAE SMITH, MARGARET JEFFERS, ADRIENNE BAKER, MARY HELEN WALKER, MARGARET FAILOR, MARY ANN SHAFFER, SANDY DUNCAN, CATHY WALKER, Rev. ANNIE CAMPBELL, BRENDA TATE, TILDA BOWLING, KAYE BABCOCK, SHEILDA YOUNG, PAT SCALE, PATTY EGERTON, BETTY YORK, WANDA HENRY, JEAN COPE and GERRY McDONALD, who was a troop leader, association chairman and later served on the Tanasi Council board of directors. Mrs. McDONALD was awarded the highest award of recognition that can be bestowed on an adult when she received the "Thanks" badge in 1978.

GERRY McDONALD was very proud of the following certificate she received on April 26, 1970. "TO MRS. JERRI McDONALD, leader of Girl Scout Troop No. 380 for a wonderful person who risked her sanity, gave unselfishly of her time and energy to take us camping at Camp Tanasi we award this CERTIFICATE OF OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT for endurance above and beyond the call of duty." (Signed by) NANCY WILSON, LEESA DANNER, MICHELLE FAILOR, JANETTE LAY, DIANA TINGLE, BARBARA BUTLER, DONNA YANCEY, KATHY McDONALD, Mary Beth West, DARLENE BEETS, CATHIE POSEY, DEBBIE BREWSTER and KATHY LLOYD.

In celebration of its 85th birthday, the Girl Scouts are focusing on involving alumni as advocates for America’s children. Tanasi Council invited former Girl Scouts to reconnect with the organization. "We welcome all alumni to call us and get re-involved, to learn about contemporary Girl Scout programs, to serve as positive role models and to help girls ushering the year 2000," said LUCILLE GRIFFO, Tanasi Council executive director. Girl Scouts now learn about preventing child abuse and youth suicide as well as about promoting health and fitness. They explore careers in math and science and have opportunities to travel. Tanasi Council serves 18 East Tennessee counties.

Girl Scouting has been active in Scott County for over 44 years, however, in a phone conversation with JENNY COURTER, Scott County’s representative at Tanasi Girl Scout Council in Knoxville, it was learned that more leaders are needed.

Winfield, Huntsville, Burchfield and Fairview have active troops, but, Fairview needs a troop leader. JOANNA BAINS is troop leader at Winfield and her assistant is Carolyn Bains. ELIZABETH WHALEY is troop leader at Burchfield. KAREN CHAMBERS is troop leader for the new Huntsville troop. There are girls in Oneida who want to be Girl Scouts, but no one has volunteered to be their leader. Robbins doesn’t have an active troop.

A camping trip to Camp Tanasi is scheduled for the Scott County troops May 23, 1997.

Anyone wishing to volunteer with any of the active troops or help form troops where needed, are asked to contact JOANNA BAINS, Service Unit Manager for Tanasi Girl Scout Council in Scott County, at 569-9528, or contact JENNY COURTER at 423-688-9440 in Knoxville.

FNB Chronicle, Vol. 8, No. 3 – Sprint 1997
First National Bank
P.O. Box 4699
Oneida, TN 37841
(p10)

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