Lynbrook had first N.C. Girl Scout Troop

The Girl Scouts of ELLM Association, representing the girls and adult volunteers of East Rockaway, Lakeview, Lynbrook and Malverne were recently informed that the first Girl Scout troop organized in Nassau County in 1918 or 1919 was a troop from Lynbrook.

A 20 page booklet entitled A History of Girl Scouts of Nassau County 1918-2008, The First 90 Years recently published by the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, acknowledges Lynbrook as the location of the first Girl Scout troop. There had been some debate whether Lynbrook or Glen Cove had the first troop in Nassau County. However, a photograph taken of Lynbrook’s first troop by photographer, Leo Bock; that appears in the book The History of Lynbrook, written by Art Mattson, Lynbrook’s Village Historian, helped to end the debate.

Madeline Pearson, an ELLM Girl Scout volunteer and president of the Historical Society of East Rockaway and Lynbrook brought the photograph to the attention of Anna Lenz, another ELLM Volunteer who also happened to be the Designer for the booklet. At a recent ELLM Girl Scout Leader meeting, Anna Lenz presented copies of the booklet to Mattson, Pearson and Helen Leahy, one of ELLM’s longest active Girl Scout volunteers.

The booklet is available for $5 from the Girl Scout of Nassau County’s Shop in Garden City (5167-741-2550). Topics within the history are: program, camping, community service, fund development, international hostessing and memories.

If anyone has dates, facts, or records of Girls Scouts of ELLM, they can contact Madeline Pearson at (516) 593-5791, as ELLM would like to expand their history.