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                          TROOP 99's FLY-UP



               Today, Sierra Madres Council Troop 99 conducted a

Bridging (Fly-up) and Court of Honor Ceremony. The fifteen girls in

this troop are 9-10 years old and are in the third and fourth

grades in seven different local schools. Most of the mothers work,

but participate actively because this troop meets on Saturdays.

                A recent survey of adults who had gone through the

scout program found that the women remember two things. They

remember the ceremonies and they remember their leaders. Like it or

not, Leaders become a part of the girls lives. Our ceremony was

meaningful to the girls and was simple to organize.

                Our ceremony began with the girls marching in, we

did not do a Color Guard as the girls had no experience with this

and we wanted to keep it simple. One girl lead the audience in the

flag salute.

                The girls then marched up one by one, recited a

portion of the promise or oath and lit a candle. The candles were

placed in log candle holders. (Each log holds 5-7 candles) We

placed the logs on a table covered with a plastic cloth in "Girl

Scout Blue". It looked quite nice against their new green uniforms.

We wrote out portions of the oath or promise on 15 index cards, the

girls had them in their pockets. Some girls used them and some did

not. Each girl returned to her reserved seat after reading her

portion and lighting a candle.

                After this, our Association Chair gave a rather

inspirational talk to the girls and their families, which set a

warm, yet solemn tone.

                Parenthetically, the leader, two asst leaders and

the Association Chair all wore "uniforms". (Leaders' blouse, scarf

or tie, pin and our own navy blue skirts or suits.) We have found

that the girls like us to wear our uniforms and we wear uniforms

because this is a statement about our commitment to the program.

(But as I noted in a previous posting, no one seems to like the

regulation blue suits or green skirts. Most of us combine the

regulation blouse with our own wardrobes.)

                Finally, we announced the name of each girl,

the badges earned and one by one they "crossed the bridge"

(we used the stairs at either end of a small stage with

the curtains closed--but wooden bridges are

easy to construct and may be available at your Council Office.)

One leader sent the girls off at one side and they were met at the

other side of the stage by the Association Chair and the other

leader.The girls were handed envelopes with their new pins,

service stars for 91-92 (we were late), Dabbler badges, flyup wings,

rainbow bridge, new troop numerals, Council and National Patches and

World Association pins.

		The event was followed by a "pot-luck" desert

buffet and a brief parents meeting.