May Our Promise Newsletter

Girl Scout Alumni

Susan Barley is a Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri alum, a former troop leader and a long-time supporter.

In Girl Scouts, a uniform is a storybook. Susan Barley’s uniform is a colorful tale of leadership, fun, and a lifetime of happy memories.

While Susan splits her time between Florida and St. Louis, she is not able to give her time as much, but she makes sure she gives to the Gift for Girls Campaign. “I feel good about giving. I got a lot from Girl Scouts, and I should give back. This is my thank you for all the wonderful memories Girl Scouts has given me and I want other girls to have the same experience and feel the same way I do.” As Girl Scouts, we were told all things were possible. We were encouraged to dream, to figure out how to make it happen, and work together to achieve our goals. The same is true with being an adult volunteer. We weren’t told how to volunteer; we were given the autonomy to come up with new ideas and then jump in and figure out how to make something happen for our girls. It was fun. “ ” Join Susan and support the Gift for Girls Campaign

From her seven years as a Girl Scout to becoming her daughter’s Brownie Troop Leader in 1974, Susan has been giving her time, talent, and treasure to Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. “Working with the girls you could see how leadership can be cultivated even for those girls who didn’t go on to be the leaders of the world. Girl Scouts develops confidence and a can-do attitude,” reflects Susan who has been the recipient of the Gold Laurel, Thanks Badge, and Thanks Badge II. A Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts, Susan welcomed additional responsibility on the troop, neighborhood, district, and council levels and was eventually invited to join the Board of Directors. She and her husband Bob led the Family Phase of the Spark the Fire Campaign, one of the first fundraising campaigns for GSEM. These experiences provided opportunities for Susan to attend trainings at the Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University and the Edith Macy Center where she earned certification to be an Instructor-of Trainers, both experiences opening her eyes to all that goes into stewarding a nonprofit. She also chaired the Council’s Volunteer Personal Committee. “Sparking the Fire was the first-time Girl Scout families were being asked to give money and we got the reaction, ‘Wait a minute I do this, I do that, why are you asking me to give money.’ If something happens to the Cookie program what happens to the Girl Scouts?” asks Susan, who is a long-standing Golden Trefoil Society member.

vr.girlscoutsem.org/donate