Girl Scouts All the Way Down!
A conversation with a multigenerational Girl Scout family.
Lorren Pallone Lucas is a 3rd generation Girl Scout, and her
daughter, Lexi Pallone, is a 4th generation Girl Scout. Wow! Even
better, both of these amazing Girl Scouts have been up to some amazing
things.
First up is Mom: Lorren Pallone Lucas is the creator of the Girl
Scouts “Spread the Love” campaign. Work on this idea began during
COVID-19, when there were a lot of restrictions on troop activities.
In fall of 2020, Lorren had the girls swap Halloween gifts with each
other as a way of staying connected and keeping sisterhood strong.
This idea expanded into “Spread the Love.”
Because the Service Units that Lorren was a part of (that would usually bring in up to 50 scouts) could no longer be held in-person, she wanted “to do something that would bring us together but would also keep us all safe.” So around Valentine’s Day is when “Spread the Love” really began. Lorren wanted to “let everybody know we were still thinking about them.”
The program worked like this: a girl would sign up to be a part of
“Spread the Love,” and then Lorren was able to match the girls with a
partner for a surprise gift exchange. Each girl was paired with
another girl her age, then given an address to make the “delivery.”
When a girl received her gift, her family would post a photo of her
and the present on social media for other scouts and families to
see.
“The families that participated said that it was a great way to feel like they were still in scouting but still feel safe,” Lorren noted. As of 2023, “Spread the Love” has continued into its third year, even after some of the effects from COVID-19 have settled.
Far from dying out, “Spread the Love” expands a little more each year. In the first year, scouts that participated also received a patch; this tradition has continued. The second year of “Spread the Love” included a patch design competition for the girls to contribute their skills and make their own patch. In its third year, the program was even able to create a “Spread the Love” book and donate copies to local libraries for children to read!
“I imagine that so many people who, especially during COVID times,
might have felt isolated and alone or very disconnected.” Through this
book, “Spread the Love” was “able to connect them back” and “give them
that virtual hug.”
If the “Spread the Love” program proves one thing, it is that
community is so important. The Girl Scouts community is strong, and so
important to so many people. Third generation Girl Scout Lorren and
her 4th generation Girl Scout daughter Lexi are testaments to
that!
If you think that’s impressive, next up is Lorren’s daughter, Lexi Pallone, who is on track to follow in her mother’s footsteps!
Lexi is just 13 years old, about to enter high school next year.
Already she is such an ambitious young Girl Scout. “I'm going to start
working on my Gold Award,” Lexi told us when asked what she’s up to
next. “Before I do that, I'm going to take a little course on the Gold
Award, and then I'm going to start doing some brainstorming.” She’s so
ahead of the game already!
Lexi recently finished her Silver Award project, which was about
reading and education. She is thinking of doing something similar for
her Gold Award.
On top of all that, Lexi is part of the Girl Scout Advisory Board, a
committee that is currently planning World Thinking Day. World
Thinking Day is an event that encourages scouts to embrace new
perspectives and gain a global education. This year’s theme will be
“Our World, Our Thriving Future: The Environment and Global Poverty.”
Lexi’s work on this board will make this valuable day possible!
What keeps Lexi working so hard? Well, when asked about her status
as one of the few 4th generation Girl Scouts out there, Lexi explained
what inspires her about the organization:
“It really is because I get to hear stories from the other three generations. Like my mom—she tells me stories about her camping trips and working at camp.”
Lexi also got to take a look at Lorren’s song book. The book had a
lot of differences, but also a lot of similarities. These shared
stories, songs, and traditions are really important to both Lorren and
Lexi.
The bond between Lexi and her mother is really inspiring. For Lexi’s
birthday one year, Lorren arranged to have Lexi’s name put on a brick
outside the Girl Scouts Meeting House headquarters in Savannah,
Georgia. The brick is set in the pavement outside the meeting house
among dozens of others. On it reads “Lexi Pallone, Fourth Generation
Girl Scout.”
This brick stands as proof of Lorren and Lexi’s hard work. Both of them are certainly going down in Girl Scouts history, even beyond our GSESC council. Chief Executive Officer, Diane Flanagan smiles proudly as she explains, “At the end of the day, Girl Scouts is about connection and community, and these two are doing such an incredible job of showing that. We are so proud of these two for all that they have accomplished!”
