Iloilo Girl Scout Council celebrates 70th Anniversary

By: Irrah Kirstien Davocol

More than 500 Girl Scouts and Adult Leaders from the Provinces of Iloilo and Guimaras Island, Iloilo City and Passi City joined the 70^th Anniversary Celebration of the Iloilo Girl Scout Council celebrations themed “Iloilo Girl Scout Council: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (A Celebration of 7 Decades of Girl Empowerment)”.

Council Executive Director Marie Claire E. Laru-an said this year’s theme honors the outstanding and empowered women in the community that Iloilo Council has produced.

The anniversary was marked with week-long activities which kicked off on January 3 with a Thanksgiving Mass at the San Jose Parish Church. This was followed by motorcade with the Girls Scout mascot, “Gespie” leading the mile-long convoy around the major streets of Iloilo City.

On the second day, the celebration continued with an early morning Zumba Party along the grounds of the Rose Memorial Auditorium at the Central Philippine University (CPU). CPU is a sentimental venue being the first school where Girl Scouting in Iloilo started 70 years ago.

Immediately after the exhilarating exercises, the Girl Scouts Got Talent show featured contestants with a variety of performance productions. Junior Girl Scout Cypress Kate Andrada from Iloilo Central Elementary School ruled as Champion over a great number of competing talents.

The day was capped with a grand coronation production for Iloilo Girl Scout Council 70th Anniversary Sapphire Queen and Princesses. Junior Girl Scout Sofia Beatrice Uy Tupas from Central Philippine University was the crowned as the Sapphire Queen. Her entourage included Junior Girl Scout Rheanna Alyzza Paderes as Diamond Princess, Star Scout Stephanie Vivienne Tantiado as Gold Princess, Junior Girl Scout Sosie Edre Panerio as Ruby Princess, Junior Girl Scout Xavierra Zhanice Gallego as Pearl Princess and Junior Girl Scout Allysha Yzavelle Hubag as Emerald Princess.

To emphasize the strong presence and relevance of Girl Scouting in the community, the Iloilo Girl Scouts conducted the first-ever Long Green Line. A mile-stone event in the history of Iloilo Girl Scout with the girls in green uniform standing side by side along Iloilo Esplanade singing and dancing to the GSP favorite song, “Ignite” by Melinda Caroll. Caroll is an American singer and a GSP Lifetime Member who has created and produced music for Girl Scouts since 1989.

The Long Green Line was preceded by releasing 1,500 fingerlings along Iloilo River. This was an environmental awareness exposure in protecting natural resources like the Iloilo River. Girl Scout allies from the Bureau of Fisheries, the Iloilo Province and City Agriculture Offices and from the 6^th Forward Service Support Unit (6FSSU) were present to highlight the collaborative efforts for this important event.

An On-the-Spot Poster Making Contest followed at the Iloilo Girl Scout Council Office. Out of 13 entries, SR Girl Scout Franzene Jae L. Nobleza from La Paz National High School won 1^st Place.

The culminating event of the 70^th Anniversary celebration is the “70 Shades of Green: A Benefit Dinner”. Proceeds of this event are for the improvement of facilities at Camp Pasica, Dingle, Iloilo and the Iloilo Girl Scout Headquarters in Iloilo City.

A special awarding ceremony will also feature the men and women who have contributed much to promote and support the Girl Scout Movement in Iloilo.

GSP-Iloilo President Gudelia Coo stressed that the committees planned the activities for this year’s celebration to highlight the Girl Scouting movement in Iloilo and Western Visayas. “We strongly believe in strengthening our community by empowering young girls and women through Girl Scouting.”

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