Do you know the story of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts? She’s one of our favorite trailblazers, and October 31 is her birthday! So today we celebrate her boundless enthusiasm, ardent belief in the potential of girls to achieve great things, and ability to galvanize others to take action. In 1912 she started a movement whose impact is still felt today by millions of girls and women across our nation. Now that’s a legacy worth celebrating!

But who was Juliette? And what made an upper class lady from Savannah decide to start a movement that over a century later would still be inspiring girls to build their skills, tackle challenges, and make the world a better place? To answer that question, you’ll have to delve a little deeper into the life of this remarkable and determined first Girl Scout!

Now that you know a bit about the life of this remarkable woman, what can you do to celebrate the original J. Low? Here’s a few ideas to get you started!

• Stand on your head! One of Juliette’s special skills was standing on her head. She stood on her head every year on her birthday to prove she still could do it, and also celebrated nieces’ and nephews’ birthdays by standing on her head. Once, she even stood on her head in the board room at National Headquarters to show off the new Girl Scout shoes.
• Head outdoors! Juliette loved outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, swimming, and horseback riding to name just a few. So in her honor spend some time outside doing an activity you enjoy.
• Donate to the the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund. Established by her friends after her death, the fund finances international projects for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world.
• Follow her lead and do a good turn for your community. Helping others was always important to Juliette and that’s why making the world a better place is part of the Girl Scout mission. So make a pledge to follow the Girl Scout slogan and “do a good turn daily.”