By Luke Voogt
Geelong Girl Guide units could close down due to a shortage of leaders, the organisation’s local district manager Belinda George has warned.
“It’s very desperate,” she said.
“We’re at the point now where if we don’t get leaders we’re unable to run the regular meetings for our girls.”
Lara and Herne Hill units were in the most danger of closing, Ms George said.
She urged local women to volunteer about two hours a week and get involved in activities like horse-riding, cooking classes, discos, canoeing and paddle boarding.
“We went rock-climbing just last night with a group of girls,” she said.
Ms George joined Guides as a girl in 1988 and has been a leader for eight years.
“That was the reason I volunteered as an adult, because I realised how important the program was,“ she said.
“The girls develop into strong, confident women and gain many life skills.
“It’s great fun being a leader. We get to experience things we might not have done before.”
Newcomb guide of four years Charlotte McCracken, 11, said she would “feel really, really sad” if units closed in Geelong.
“I like meeting new people and the camps we go on. We go to the beach and go canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding and all these fun things.“
