75 Years
of Service
FOX CHAPEL RESIDENT
MARTHA SMITH RECEIVES
SPECIAL HONOR FROM
THE GIRL SCOUTS OF
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
BY NICOLE TAFE
F
or 75 years, Fox Chapel resident
Martha Smith has exemplified the
mission of the Girl Scouts—to
build girls of courage, confidence and
character who help to make the world a
better place.
Smith was born in East Chicago,
Indiana, on Dec. 25, 1933, and she lived
with her family in Highland—a small
Smith participates in a meeting.
town south of the industrial portion of
Indiana. “I became a Brownie Girl Scout
at the age of 7, when a large woman
filled the doorway of my second grade
classroom and boomed, ‘How many
of you girls want to be Brownies?’”
says Smith. “Truthfully, we were too
frightened to say no!” she laughs.
Smith was proud, even from a young
age, to wear her uniform with a brown
beanie and white gloves. She and her
classmates quickly progressed into
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Smith participates in outdoor primitive camping in 1949.
Intermediate Girl Scouts and began
working on earning badges.
“When we stitched the badges onto
the sleeve of our uniforms, we had to
be sure we knew all of the requirements
for the badge, had taught someone else
something we had learned and used our
new skills to help someone in our family
or community,” says Smith. “This is
the Girl Scout Promise and Law. It was
very formative to me, and I have tried to
remember these values throughout my
entire life.”
After Smith received her First Class
rank, she went on to become a Senior Girl
Scout and Wing Scout. Following her
graduation from Griffith High School,
she was fortunate to have been selected
to attend the first All-States Encampment
in Cody, WY—to which each state had
only sent three girls. From there, she
registered as an Adult Girl Scout and
assisted a troop in West Lafayette, IN.
She then was selected to be an exchange
Girl Scout with the German Girl Scouts
in 1955—receiving her first international
experience. She would later visit many
other countries as part of her involvement
with Girl Scouts including England,
Mexico, Sweden, Kenya and Canada.
In her 75 years as a Girl Scout, Smith
has experienced nearly every facet of
the organization. She has been involved
with Brownie troops, where she became
a leader, board member and President
of Council. She’s also been a national
volunteer trainer for Girl Scouts of the
USA; a member of the Friends of our
Cabana, a facility in Mexico for girls
and women of the World Association of
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts; founding
member of the Olave Baden Powell
Society, an international society that
recognizes men and women worldwide
who support the movement; a board
member of the World Foundation for Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts; President of Girl
Scouts of Southwestern Pennsylvania;
an honorary member of the World
Smith boards the train to Wyoming for another
Girl Scout adventure.
Foundation; and an honorary associate
of the World Association for Girl Scouts
and Girl Guides. Other honors include
receiving the Thanks Badge, Thanks