Girl Scouts fill Canyon Lake troops to capacity

Photo courtesy of Terry Makeig

Girl Scout troops have been a staple for Canyon Lakers for decades. The ever-popular troops continue to be at capacity and produce some of Canyon Lake’s most decorated high school graduates.

The first Canyon Lake Girl Scout troop was established in 1981. That was Girl Scout Troop #135 led by Canyon Lake resident Terry Makeig. Terry, who moved to Canyon Lake in 1980 with her family, wanted to find a Girl Scout troop for her daughter, who was 6 years old at the time. She soon discovered there were no troops in Canyon Lake and the nearest one in Lake Elsinore was full.

Terry decided to take matters into her own hands and started a troop herself.

“I wanted my daughter and her friends to have a Girl Scout troop,” Terry said, “I wanted to make it fun for them.”

She was first trained by the troop leader in Lake Elsinore, but then was given the reins to lead her own troop. Girl Scout troop leadership came easily to Terry, as she had worked as a preschool teacher and aide for many years.

Girls from troop #1953 are participating in last year’s Fiesta Day, one of the highlights for the troop led by Tamara Parsons. Girls pictured from left to right are, Tatum Weaver, Tegan Penta, Savannah Spitale, Sienna Ware and Clementine Avila, adults in back are Stacey Brenton and Emily Ware. Photo courtesy of Tamara Parsons

Girl Scout Troop #135 quickly grew in size and ballooned to 20 girls. The troop started as a Brownie troop, for girls in grades 1 through 2 at the time. The troop transitioned through the years as the scouts got older.

The troop stayed with the girls as they grew into Juniors, Cadettes and Seniors and has always been active. The troop participates in the Fiesta Day Parade each year, has a booth at Fiesta Day and The Chili Cook-Off and annually decorates a Christmas tree at the Main Gate entrance.

Terry’s Girl Scout troop has remained a consistent, local and positive group for many girls for many years. She finally retired from being a Girl Scout leader in 1989, after many of her Girl Scouts had graduated from high school and most had reached the highest rank for a Girl Scout.

Decades ago, having just one Girl Scout troop in Canyon Lake served the demand. Now there are four Canyon Lake Girl Scout troops led by local moms. They range in ages from Daisies, the youngest scout, grades kindergarten to 1st grade, all the way up to Seniors, which are in 9th and 10th grade.

Girl Scouts from troop #1735 are having a fun time camping and eating popsicles at Vail Lake. Pictured here are Kaylee Rehm, Rylee Warnock, Fiona Rackstraw and Isabella Peperizzi. Photo courtesy of Alissa Rackstraw

D.J. Potter has been leading her Girl Scout troop since the summer of 2008. D.J. has a troop of 11 girls: nine Seniors and two Juniors. She has been with many of them as their scout leader for much of their lives. Next month, they will be having a banquet to honor their progression in Girl Scouts.

Tamara Parsons also leads a Girl Scout troop in the community. Tamara leads Girl Scout Troop #1953, an all Brownie troop. The girls are all in second grade and 8 years old. It is her third year leading the troop.

Tamara said some of the highlights the troop has experienced together over the past year have been volunteering at the HOPE Food Bank, reading to dogs at the animal shelter and “the Fiesta Day parade last year was the best!” she said. Since COVID-19 and social distancing, “the troop has been doing virtual meetings on various topics all while earning badges,” Tamara said. “We even took a watercolor course together via Zoom.”

Tamara became a Girl Scout leader in order to provide a troop for her daughter, who was in kindergarten at the time, and could not find a local troop that had openings. Once Tamara opened her troop up for registration, it was filled to capacity within 24 hours, she said. Troop #1953 normally meets weekly at the Eastport Room in Canyon Lake.

Canyon Laker Alissa Rackstraw also started a Girl Scout troop in order to provide a troop for her daughters, ages 7 and 9. Alissa started Troop #1735 a year and a half ago. When she wanted to find a troop for her daughters, none of the local troops had openings. After she started her troop, many of her daughters’ friends joined. Troop #1735 is a mixed troop of 10 Daisies and Brownies.

This year was the first time that Troop #1735 was able to sell cookies and that was a big highlight for the girls, Alissa said. Other big moments for their troop have been visiting the Canyon Lake fire station and camping at Vail Lake.

Now, unable to meet in person after having months of quarantine, the girls in the troop meeting via Zoom. Their online meetings have included painting rocks for the community rock garden and making cards for senior citizens that Alissa dropped off at a local Senior Center.

Despite having to alter meetings to be virtual, the troop members have earned plenty of patches. They have earned Daisy petals and patches for a wide variety of activities, such as making care packages for the homeless and making pillows.

Canyon Laker Sarah Card has the only all-Daisy troop in town. She started Troop #438 so her daughter and her friend’s daughter could have a troop to attend. Sarah has been leading the group with her friend and co-leader Desiree Carr since December.

The girls recently participated in the Canyon Lake Zoo Caravan and earning a custom-made patch for it. The Daisies have been participating in Zoom meetings in place of their regular meetings since mid-April. They have earned quite a few Daisy petals despite being quarantined.

Her troop has nine girls presently, but three more girls are planning on joining once regular meetings resume which will make Troop #438 a full troop.

Canyon Lake can claim troops that cater to little Daisies all the way up to young women graduating from high school. With high schools graduating their senior class next month, it seems more and more of the girls graduating are listing Girl Scout accolades among their achievements. Some of the Girl Scout projects these girls are undertaking are significant services to the community.