SLAYTON -- Becoming a Brownie troop leader 30 years ago was just the start for Girl Scout volunteer Marlys Knuth, who was awarded the prestigious Thanks Badge by the national Girl Scouting organization last month.
"I was really surprised," Knuth said of the award. "I was not expecting it, but I was very pleased they chose to do something like this."
To win the award, Knuth had to be endorsed by her peers, leaders and adults who worked with her in the Girl Scouts. The Thanks Badge is the highest award a volunteer can be given and honors the years of service Knuth has given to the organization.
After serving as a troop leader, Knuth became a service unit manager for the Slayton area and then joined the board of the regional Peacepipe Council. She is chair of the Fund Development Committee and will represent the Peacepipe Council during a national reorganization of councils.
Five councils in the southern half of Minnesota have decided to join together to form a single council, reducing administration and organizational complications. Knuth is part of a committee charged with finding a new name for the group, as well as branding, logos and uniforms. The goal is to have the councils combined by the end of 2007.
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Though many years have passed since Knuth started in scouting, she doesn't believe girls have changed much.
"It's just that they've gotten busier with school activities and other things that are going on, and so we need to find programming that meets their needs," Knuth said. "And make them aware of the diversity that is occurring in our areas and be aware of some of the issues."
Girls still get involved in scouting through camping trips, visiting Savannah, Ga., where Girl Scouts was founded 95 years ago on March 12, 1912.
"There's just a lot of neat activities that you can belong to in your own local community," Knuth said. "It's just finding the time to do it."
