Wish Stories

Peggy Visits the Birthplace of the Girl Scouts

An older woman sits next to a statue of a woman.

In March 1912, years before women could vote, Juliette Gordon Low picked up a telephone in Savannah and sparked a movement that would change how girls saw themselves. “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world, and we are going to start it tonight,” she told her cousin. Known as Daisy, she wasn’t just sharing an idea. She was launching a vision that would inspire generations of girls to lead with confidence and courage.

What followed was a gathering of 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia. Under Juliette’s leadership, the idea quickly grew into Girl Scouts of the USA. The organization has since provided leadership, friendship, and service opportunities to millions of girls “in all America, and all the world,” just like Juliette predicted.

More than two decades would pass before Peggy, now 89, was born. Girl Scouts was well established in communities across the country, though Peggy didn’t have the opportunity to become one herself. But in her early 30s, while raising a family, she signed up to be a Girl Scout leader—a decision that went on to shape her life in more ways than she could have imagined.

An older woman holds a framed photograph of a young Girl Scout.

A woman stands next to an early 1900s portrait of a woman.

Helping people at all times

Peggy organized cookie sales, led troops, and chaperoned trips, instilling positive values in young girls, while simultaneously battling fibromyalgia and arthritis. Once, she remembered smiling through tremendous pain during a trip to Legoland, prioritizing her girls’ experience above all else.

Her involvement in Girl Scouts was another endeavor in a long line of service to her community, including being president of the largest Navy Wives Club in Sasebo, Japan, and volunteering as a Grey Lady, in which she logged more than 2,000 hours with the Red Cross and helped service members celebrate their birthdays while far from home.

A woman stands in the center of a circle of girls wearing Girl Scout vests.

An older woman stands with a young Girl Scout at a cookie sales table.

A woman wearing an orange poncho and visor sits on a bus with a girl.

But unlike many Girl Scout volunteers who stop serving once their children are grown, Peggy kept going. She has continued to volunteer with Girl Scouts for 57 years and has led two four-generation troops, which included her daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters. For years, she’s hosted birthday parties at a local convalescent home, which inspired one of her granddaughters to pursue a career in aging. Many of her former scouts in the San Diego area, now adults, still keep in contact with Peggy, a testament to her lasting influence.

A woman looks at a portrait of a woman in a uniform.

An older and younger woman read information on the wall of a museum.

Managing grief

Through the years, Peggy’s deep commitment to service has been shaped by both devotion and loss. In 1983, she lost her first husband to lung cancer. In 1997, her second husband passed away from a brain tumor, followed by the death of her third husband in 2013. Most recently, in June 2024, Peggy was widowed for the fourth time after serving as her husband Ray’s full-time caregiver for seven years.

Despite profound grief, her dedication to others never wavered, and spurred her to support others through grief support groups at her church.

An older woman stands in the dining room of a historic home.

A young man leads two women on a walking tour.

The place it all began

Through it all, Peggy’s passion for the Girl Scouts has been a guiding force, and she dreamed of visiting Juliette Gordon Low’s birthplace in Savannah, Georgia. “It has always been a wish of mine to see where it all began,” Peggy shared.

With the support of Wish of a Lifetime from AARP, Peggy’s long-held dream became a reality. She and her granddaughter, Michelle, traveled to Savannah to see the history and legacy behind the organization firsthand. They received a private guided tour of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace Museum, where Peggy’s deep knowledge of Girl Scouting captivated everyone around her. She saw the Girl Experience Center, a newer space for educational programming; toured the Andrew Low House Museum (the father-in-law of Juliette); and visited the Girl Scouts’ first headquarters.

Three people recite a pledge with fingers raised.

A younger woman attaches a pin to an older woman’s shirt.

From the moment they arrived, Peggy was treated like a VIP. “They greeted me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and several gifts, which I so appreciated,” Peggy said. The trip was filled with powerful moments, including a pinning ceremony with a visiting Girl Scout troop. “For a Girl Scout leader, it was so wonderful to be a part of that,” Peggy said.

“She was engaged and motivated. It was incredible for her to feel valued and to know about her impact,” Michelle added. “All of this work she did for so long really mattered to these girls.”

After the trip, Peggy’s engagement with Girl Scouts of the USA continued. She mentored a new leader and plans to share her experience with others in her council. “It has meant the world to me to go there and for everyone to hear my story,” Peggy said. “I will continue to live the Girl Scout life and try to keep my troop going as long as I live.”