Nashua woman leads a troop and mentors other Girl Scout leaders
NASHUA, NH – Described as a “super Girl Scout” who is an asset to her troop, community and council, Jacie Crump of Nashua has been named the Volunteer of the Month for February by Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, the council serving all of New Hampshire and Vermont.
Crump, 41, of Nashua, is a Gold Award Girl Scout, having been a member from Brownie level on up, earning both the Silver and Gold Awards in her earlier years- Girl Scouting’s highest honors. Now she leads Girl Scout Junior Troop 11126 for girls in fourth and fifth grades – Crump’s sixth year as a leader, and has been a Volunteer Service Coordinator for the council, providing help to the Girl Scout troop leaders in the Nashua area for the past three years.
“She has taken many additional trainings such as Foil Pack Cooking, Fire Building, Leave no Trace/Hiking and Basic Outdoor Living Skills so she can share the knowledge with both the troop and community,” said Anne Marie Yorio in Volunteer Support at the council. “She is organized, thoughtful and willing to help. She welcomes new ideas and takes on additional responsibilities.”
“I love interacting with the girls, being able to share my knowledge and passion for Girl Scouts,” said Crump. “It’s an opportunity for me to give back.”
Being an avid camper since before she can remember, Crump said she loves taking her girls outdoors and teaching them the skills they need for outdoor adventures. They’ve gone on a camporee, a few camping days, learning knife skills, fire building and knot tying. Sometimes the camping adventure is indoors, as in an overnight to the Boston Museum of Science, but they have also stayed overnight at Camp Runels. They are looking forward to doing a troop camping trip where they will learn tent skills, and an overnight with the community at a camporee.
“I think by learning the skills of camping, they’re becoming more independent,” she said. She sees them learning to anticipate what they’ll need, figuring out how to tie a rope for a clothesline, or learning about plants. Of course S’mores are always a popular treat by a campfire. “But I think they did enjoy when we did the foil dinners,” she said. “You don’t need a pot and pan or microwave. Just some foil. I think that’s one of those things they thought was really cool.”
She’s taught her Girl Scouts the principles of leaving no trace behind no matter where they go, and has found them very respectful of the areas they’re in. “They ask me if I have gloves to pick up trash!” she said. “They want to leave things better than they found it.”
Her support as a Volunteer Service Coordinator means being available to the 20 Girl Scout troops and 72 leaders in the Nashua area, along with nine outreach troops, the total serving 338 girls.
“What I do is try to offer support to the leaders. Come and talk to me. I’m always on the lookout for things that are happening around Nashua,” she said, arranging for ways Girl Scouts can take part in community events. Together, these troops have participated in camporees, World Thinking Day, a Blizzard Blast – a lock-in with workshops, helping other Girl Scouts with Take Action service projects, powder puff derbies, badge work, and more. She’s also taken training in mental health, which is helpful not only to her as a role model and leader, but also in assisting others when girls may experience anxiety or bullying.
Crump encourages anyone thinking about becoming involved in Girl Scouts to do it. “Join up! It’s a lot of fun, and so rewarding to help the girls become leaders, innovators. It’s been one of the best experiences of my life.”
Jacie Crump embodies the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ philosophy by being a leader and mentor to both girls and adult volunteers. Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains is proud to have her as a volunteer, and to name her our Volunteer of the Month for February.
About Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains: Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains is recognized throughout New Hampshire and Vermont as a leading expert on girls. Our Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a one-of-a-kind leadership development program for girls, with proven results. It is based on time-tested methods and research-backed programming that helps girls take the lead—in their own lives and in the world. Through our exciting and challenging programs, Girl Scouts not only participate but also take the lead in a range of activities—from kayaking, archery, and camping, to coding, robotics, financial literacy training, and beyond! Serving more than 10,000 girls throughout New Hampshire and Vermont, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Visit www.girlscoutsgwm.org.
