Always a Girl Guide: three Kings women recognized for long, special service

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

When’re you make a promise

Consider well its importance

And when made

Engrave it upon your heart.

Keeping the Girl Guide spirit alive and part of their lives for a combined 210 years, three Kings County women were recognized by their “sisters in Guiding” June 18.

“All of us are truly blessed to have these ladies as members,” said event organizer Trish MacDonald.

She led the celebration hosted by the Hardwood Lake Trefoil Guild recognizing Beryl Pope, Doris Dandurand and Barbara Dok.

“We don’t often have this many of us gather, but we’re sisters in Guiding and we’re here when we need to be - we’re here for you.”

Trefoil Guild members are adults who want to remain active Girl Guides, but don’t want to be unit leaders or hold volunteer roles in the association’s administration. Most of the women have years of experience, dating back to their own childhood as Brownies and Guides, adult years as leaders and commissioners and trainers; and at camps, doing community service and making new friends.

“One Friday night I made a promise - ‘On my honour, to do my best...’ - and I had to memorize the flag, the knots, the promise and the law,” remembered Dandurand. She compared it to the commandments and tenants of her Catholic upbringing.

“The Guide Promise made it so much easier to be a good kid. The wording was for me, and it’s a good way to live.”

The highlight of the afternoon, held at Pope’s favourite destination, Stirling’s Cafe in Grand Pre; was the presentation of an 85-year membership pin by Provincial Commissioner Dianne Frittenburg to Pope - a surprise for the recipient.

“Girl Guides of Canada does not make an 85-year pin, but all we had to do was ask. This is probably the first one ever made,” Frittenburg said, “and, with the Nova Scotia database we have, Beryl may be the oldest active member in the province.”

Pope, of Wolfville, is 93. Dok, of Kentville, was presented with her 65-year pin, even though she’s in her 69th year of membership. Frittenburg questioned her on being a Girl Guide in England during the Second World War, and Dok admitted she’s “seen some changes” in the organization since. Dandurand of Coldbrook received her 55-year pin, as she enters her 56th year of membership.

“I am overwhelmed,” Pope told those gathered, including her daughter, Carol Ann Burden, and granddaughter Jennifer Burden - both of whom were Girl Guides in their younger days: “How could we not be?” Carol Ann exclaimed.

“I think everyone here has been a Guide,” Pope said, “and it’s wonderful you’ve all kept it up for as long as you have. I hope Guiding and this province will go on and on and on, and I’m so glad to have been a part of it.”

Pope is more than a part of Guiding: she built many branches in her day as a youth member, a leader and commissioner and then, in later years, she opened the first of an eventual six Trefoil Guilds in Montreal. She even had members of her Girl Guide unit as a n honour guard on her wedding day.

“You earned your initiation with us with flying colours in 1997,” MacDonald told her. “Remember - we dragged you to the city for a weekend and we were shopping all the streets and, when we went back to change for the theatre, you said, ‘Girls, come for sherry and cookies before we go’.

“You earned a huge spot in our hearts.”