Carol Keil has personally mentored thousands of Long Island Girl Scouts
The Girl Scouts of Suffolk County honored Carol Keil of Huntington or her 50 years of service at its annual Volunteer Appreciation & Awards Dinner, held in Holbrook on April 19.
The Girl Scouts also created a new award in her honor, the Carol Keil Service Award.
Carol is a native Long Islander, born and raised in Mattituck. She says she was never able to be a Girl Scout growing up. Instead, she got involved when her daughters wanted to join the Girl Scouts.
“When my second oldest daughter was a Girl Scout and the troop leader was leaving, I said I would take her place as long as another mom would do it. Today that mom is my best friend.” Carol led that troop for 16 years and later rose to leadership positions in Suffolk County and at the Girl Scouts of USA.
Among her fondest memories is a trip to Washington DC, where one of her 5th grade girls was afraid to go up into the Washington Monument. Carol assured her she and the other leaders would hold her hand the entire time if she went up, and she got onto the elevator and took the ride. On the way home on the bus, Carol found a serving kit and invented a “Fear of Heights” badge which she sewed onto the girl’s sash in celebration of her conquering her fear. That girl, Linda Grasso, is now a science teacher at Half Hollow Hills High School.
“I remember Ms. Keil helping me that day,” says Grasso. “It had an impact on me that I never forgot and taught me I can do just about anything.”
Carol says she has always sought to teach and inspire the girls in her troops – which she humbly admits could be in the thousands. She also helped to create a badge for substance abuse prevention, which is now among the dozens of achievement badges available to Girl Scouts.
“Girl Scouts allows for ingenuity. It inspires young women to invent their future. I’m proud that I could be a part of that.”
The evening honored 300 other volunteers for their service to the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County.
“We are indebted to the volunteers who help our girls grow into inspired young women,” said Tammy Severino, CEO, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County. “Volunteers help our Girl Scouts learn to appreciate the outdoors, develop life skills, leadership and entrepreneurial skills as well as pursue STEM and the arts.”
About Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
Since 1968, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County has been committed to building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. With over 15,000 members, they are one of the largest youth-serving agencies in Suffolk County. Girl Scouts helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others. For more information about the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, please call (631) 543-6622 or visit www.gssc.us.
