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Girl Scout Founder's Day

History · October 31

Girl Scout Founder's Day honors Juliette Gordon Low, who started the Girl Scouts in Savannah, Georgia, and the troops that carry on her work.

Girl Scout Founder's Day falls on Saturday, October 31, 2026. That is 4 days away.

Girl Scout Founder's Day remembers Juliette Gordon Low, the woman who gathered the first group of Girl Scouts in Savannah, Georgia. Her idea was simple and a little bold for its time. Girls should get outdoors, learn practical skills and take on real responsibility in their communities.

That idea is still recognizable in troops today. Scouts camp, hike, tie knots, learn first aid and work toward badges that cover everything from science to cooking. They also do service projects, which often matter more to the members than any patch on a sash. Low was known for her energy and her stubbornness, and she was partly deaf for much of her adult life, which did not slow her down much.

Troops often mark the day with a ceremony, a service project or a look back at how scouting began. Some read about Low's life, and some visit her childhood home in Savannah, which is kept as a historic site. Former scouts tend to remember this day too, usually with a story about a campfire that would not light or a badge earned the hard way.

The uniform has changed many times, but the trefoil emblem has stayed, three leaves standing for the three parts of the Girl Scout Promise.

Ways to celebrate

• Read a short biography of Juliette Gordon Low.
• Share a favorite memory from your own scouting days.
• Help a local troop with a service project.
• Try a badge skill at home, like knot tying or basic first aid.

Dates

All national days on October 31

Also on October 31

• Halloween
• National Candy Apple Day
• National Caramel Apple Day
• National Knock-Knock Jokes Day
• National Magic Day

Categories: History days