
Julie McCraney is a unit leader for the Girl Guides of Canada in the Centennial and West Rouge community
By Pamela Collins
February 22 is World Thinking Day. This is an annual celebration of international friendship and global sisterhood within the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts that has taken place every year since 1926. This day was chosen as it was the birthday of Scouting and Guiding founder Lord Robert Baden-Powell and his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell.
On this day, the Guiding world celebrates its global sisterhood by reflecting on issues that affect girls and women around the world, making their voices heard and working to make a difference as well as connect with other members of the Guiding community. The theme for each year is different, and often focuses on global, social and environmental issues.
Julie McCraney has been a unit leader and treasurer for the Girl Guides of Canada in the Centennial and West Rouge community for 15 years and she provided this bit of local history:
644th Toronto Sparks unit (ages 5-6) was formed in 1993 and currently meets at Charlottetown Jr Public School; 644th Toronto Embers (ages 7-8, formerly called Brownies) have been meeting at Charlottetown since May 23, 1969. The 1st West Rouge Guide Unit (ages 9-11) formed in the area in 1959 and currently meets at William G. Davis Jr Public.
Currently there are 21 Sparks, 24 Embers and 30 Guides in our community.
It is unfortunate that Guiding in our area does not have the same high profile as Scouting, but they do not have the resources in terms of adult and youth leaders to undertake the projects that get the girls involved in local social activities such as Winterfest. Our community does not have Pathfinders (ages 12-14) to help out in service projects. However, the Scarborough District is thriving through fundraising and is able to help subsidize activities so that all members can be included.
We are all familiar with the famous Girl Guide cookies. Cookie campaigns take place twice a year and these sales are the primary source of income to help keep the units up and running.
In January, Julie had 500 cases of cookies on order that would soon be picked up at her home by unit leaders all over Toronto. This kind of volunteerism speaks to the commitment and involvement in a community.
This year, Julie’s guiding youths will celebrate Thinking Day with a sleepover at a camping facility in Oshawa with a theme to explore wildlife communities, including amphibians and mammals. There will be over 50 people taking part, and the girls will earn a crest for attending the service project and completing all of the steps during the event.
Connection to nature has always been a part of Guiding. The original Guide Law used for more than 100 years was: “A Guide is a friend to all animals.” Today it is still a part of the Guiding Law: “A Guide respects all living things and takes care of the world around her.”
It was so interesting to speak with Julie and discuss how Girl Guides have changed and evolved over the decades. For instance, Girl Guides of Canada changed the name of its Brownies branch to Embers in 2023. After consulting with its members, racialized girls, the National Indigenous Advisory Circle and other community partners, the name was changed to create a more inclusive environment for girls.
They no longer have a uniform, as many of us remember. (I still have my Brownie tam, dress, scarf and badge sash!) Now everyone wears a matching T-shirt, which promotes affordability, equality and inclusivity.
To join or find out more, https://www.girlguides.ca/web/