This week’s guest blog entry is brought to us by Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa Girl Services Manager Joyce Bonner who writes about her long time friend 97-year-old Dorothy Byers of Ottumwa. Byers was recently featured in the Des Moines Register as the oldest Girl Scout in Iowa. What an accomplishment!
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| Dorothy Byers Ottumwa, IA recently featured by the Des Moines Registeras the oldest Girl Scout in Iowa |
A Friendship Made to Last (by Joyce Bonner): I first met Dorothy Byers when I went to Summer Day camp offered in the local park. The days were filled with fun activities, singing, and giggles, and after the first day we cooked our own lunch. Cooking was done on open fire, in pots and pans, or the stove we made using coffee and tuna cans. I knew it was great then but it wasn’t until I was I became a volunteer Day Camp Director for the girls in town did I really appreciate the experience she had given us.
When I went as a girl there was no storage space, so everything was hauled in daily and the park shelter became our supply depot. At the end of the day as we waited for our pickups we would help carry things to be loaded in the car. Never giving it a thought that when we got there the next morning it would all be back in the park shelter ready to start the day when we arrived the next day.
When I was leading day camp we had a building, refrigerator, and a place to store all of our cooking equipment, and all of the other activity and cooking supplies we would need for the week. It was then that I came to realize all the work that she did to get ready for our day camp. It was then that I realized how much she gave for all the girls to have the experience. At that time, she was still helping with Day camp as a unit leader, and I could thank her for the experience. The day camp girls are now grown, with children of their own, and tell me how much fun they had at day camp, “the highlights of my summer” or “remember when we..." Although they are now giving me credit, it is really a legacy of Dorothy’s that I have the privilege of passing on to the next generation.
Dorothy always showed her faith in you that you could do whatever was in question at the time; I remember her encouragement coming with the phrase “Shall we give it a try?”
Going to Dorothy’s house to see her doll collection was a field trip for every troop in the area - for many it was an annual tradition. The special Girl Scout dolls always came out and she had stories about all of them, and her Girl Scout paper dolls had real hair.
While in college, I needed to do a presentation for Cross Culture Communication class. I didn’t believe I could do it; I definitely did not do public speaking, let alone a 30 minute presentation on another culture. When I voiced my doubts, she said “Of course you can! You know all the stories about my American Indian Dolls.” I had used some of the stories to help girls earn the Folk Lore badge during ‘established’ camp, were I worked for Dorothy as a camp counselor. As I began the presentation, the first sentence came out totally mixed up, it wasn’t a planned part of the presentation but my next statement was to tell the group I was horribly nervous but I could get through the presentation. I used the dolls and told their stories for my presentation, it was a success. After this I could take the speech class I needed to graduate without so much dread.
Dorothy has never stopped giving to others. Just a few years ago a group of Juniors wanted her to be their guest at a Mother and Daughter Tea. Part of the activities was to make festive place mats to decorate the tables for our tea. Girls offered to make one for Dorothy, but she said she would be glad to join them in doing the activity. While creating the place mats, Dorothy suggested that they all make an extra one to share with elderly people who were shut in, to receive one of the place mats would brighten their day. This was such a typical remark from her. Even though Dorothy arrived at the tea via a wheelchair, physically not able to walk from parking lot into church, needing assistance to be out of her home, a shut in herself. We presented her with her 80 years membership pin guard at this tea.
Thank you Dorothy for all you have done for Girl Scouting. You have left a lifetime legacy.
- Joyce Bonner
To read the Des Moines Register’s Article about Dorothy, click here.
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