Members of the Trefoil Guild prepare for their 60-year anniversary by creating "goody bags" for guests.
PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS
Most of them were members of the Girl Guide movement, as Pippins, Brownies, Guides, Rangers or leaders in one or more of these groups.
Now members of Wanganui Trefoil Guild, they maintain their interest in Guiding and use their skills and wisdom to help local branches of the worldwide movement. In
September the Guild turns 60 and there are festivities planned.
Recently, at their regular monthly meeting, a number of Guild members congregated at Carver Cottage at Pickwick, local Guide headquarters, to prepare goody bags for their soon-to-be-celebrated birthday.
A common complaint is that members are getting older and younger people are needed to keep the Guild active.
"This is for people who had so much fun when they were kids in the organisation, that they want to continue on," says Lynley Fowler, one of the more "recent" members.
"We're organised into patrols, just as a [Guide] unit is: we just do different things as befits our age.
"When you join up as a Brownie or a Guide, you make your promise for life, and we're still alive and keeping our promise."
Not all Trefoil Guild members were Brownies or Guides when they were young, choosing instead to join the Trefoil Guild as their first experience of Guiding. None, however, was exempt from making the Guide Promise.
I promise to do my best, to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to live by the Guide Law, and take action for a better world.
