Anonymous wrote:I just looked up campfire girls thinking that might be a better alternative but there are no chapters in DC or VA and the closest in MD is Bowie.

You could start a group. Most youth troops are parent led.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that the Journey books stink. I've rejected them outright and continue to do the old retired badges.

Can anyone recommend where to find the "Horse Fan" Junior Badge? I would need 12 of them.

They are nearly impossible to find. I got one this summer for a girl in my troop who is a rider. I highly doubt you will find 12 of them. You'd be better off getting a fun patch (www.snappylogos.com ) or doing a "Make Your Own" if you really want an earned badge. The MYO are expensive from what I've heard (like $4 shipping for each one or something) -- but it would be a real badge if that's important.

Another way to do it....is to get the image of the old badge from online. Trim off the green edge. Print that image on iron on transfer paper. Buy new badges that do not have embroidery on them (the $ management ones work) and then iron on the image. They look about a good as the Make your own badges that cost $5 with shipping.

And for what it is worth I got that idea at my Service Unit meeting. Our SU also stresses that the girls need to fullfill the "intent" of the Journey, not the word for word tasks. So my troop had completed a Journey at each level of scouts and have had fun and been excited about it. We did not follow the Journey books but at the end they understoon the concepts and had improved the community around them.

The Girl Scout experience is very troop-dependent. There is extensive training available to leaders, but many don't take it. Some leaders are "into" Girl Scouts, and some are just used to signing up to do everything and then half-a$$ing it.

Also, please consider that your leader may be drowning in paperwork, overwhelmed by girls with behavioral issues, and exasperated by parents who don't rsvp, repeatedly forget dues, permission slips, etc.

Please consider helping her before you criticize her programming.

I just looked up campfire girls thinking that might be a better alternative but there are no chapters in DC or VA and the closest in MD is Bowie.