Today we celebrate a special day for Girl Scouts across the nation. Not only is today one of the most imaginative and fun days of the year, but today is also Founder’s Day – the 157^th birthday of Juliette Gordon Low, who created and started the Girl Scouts movement in 1912.  Juliette Gordon Low was a courageous woman who eschewed the sentiment of her time and taught girls that they could truly change the world through acts of kindness. Before women could vote, own property, or even work outside of their own homes, Juliette was teaching girls how to transform themselves into confident, independent, successful, and hardworking individuals in order to bring their dreams to life. Here are a few fun facts about our founder:

 After meeting with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low was inspired to create the Girl Scouts. She devoted the rest of her life to ensure the formation of Girl Scout troops in America, using her own fortune to fund the Girl Scouts in its early years.

 Born in Savannah, Georgia, Juliette Gordon Low had the nickname “Daisy” and her birthplace was later registered as a National Landmark in 1965.

 Low’s first “Girl Guide” troops were started in Scotland and London. The name was later changed to Girl Scouts after moving the program to the United States.

 She was the second born of six children.

 She married William Mackay Low and they had homes in both London and the United States.

 In 2012, Barack Obama posthumously awarded Juliette Gordon Low with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian award in the United States.

 As a child, she experienced several ear injuries, resulting in nearly complete hearing loss which affected the rest of her life.

 She had a keen interest in athletics, the arts, and nature – attributes she included in the Girl Scout movement.

 Her niece was the first registered Girl Scout in Savannah, Georgia when the Girl Scout movement started in the United States in 1912

 Juliette Gordon Low passed away on January 27, 1917 at her home in Savannah, Georgia after a long and private battle with breast cancer.

So on this special day, we say happy birthday to an incredible woman and visionary who created the Girl Scout movement for us. We can honor her memory by continuing to work towards our dreams and complete acts of good citizenship.