Volunteer Spotlight: Meet New Troop Leader Tori Lincoln
An active Girl Scout alum who spent thirteen great years as a Girl Scout growing up, Tori Lincoln was happy to say yes when asked to volunteer to be a Girl Scout leader, serving the troop that would be welcoming the two girls in her life. She couldn’t wait to begin and memories started flooding back. Her Girl Scout journey started when she and her military family were living in La Maddalena, Italy, where she joined as a member of USA Girl Scouts Overseas. After a year in Italy the family was relocated to Virginia Beach, which is where Tori spent the rest of her years as a girl member. Her mom, Kim Lincoln, who currently serves as GSCCC’s Membership Manager, was a volunteer back in those days herself, and she led Tori’s troop. Kim encouraged Tori to earn her Girl Scout Bronze Award, which she did by creating a handicap ramp at the troop’s meeting location.
When asked to recall her fondest memories, there was no hesitation: “Camping! Camping was by far one of my favorite things to do. I will always remember being the ‘Head’ of our Sally the Camel Has Three Humps skit during camp. I also enjoyed crafting and learning to sew as I got older, skills I still cherish today and enjoy doing now with my girls.”
Tori has never been too far from Girl Scouts, since she and her mom are close and spend a lot of time together. “My mom was my Girl Scout leader when I first started my journey and her dedication to Girl Scouts was unmatched, in my opinion,” Tori said. “She didn’t just guide me, she inspired my entire troop. She showed us what it truly means to be a Girl Scout, to lead with kindness, strength, and purpose. Even now, years later, my fellow Girl Scouts still remember the impact she had on their lives. Today, with two beautiful bonus babies who are now of Girl Scout age, I hope to pass on the same passion and guidance. I want to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of their fellow Girl Scouts just like my mom did for me and so many others.”
She was excited to learn about the Girl Scout Experience Boxes made available to leaders of new Daisy and Brownie troops. Tori previewed the material and was thrilled that today’s “boxed” program could accommodate busy working moms like her. She and her co-leaders have committed to leading two troops, one of third-grade Brownies, and the other for kindergarten Daisies.
“Girl Scouts is still so important because it gives girls a place to grow into confident, capable leaders in a constantly changing world without the fear of what the world expects them to be,” Tori said. “It teaches real-life skills like leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience that they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives. Most importantly it is a safe space where girls can be themselves, make mistakes, and learn through experiences all while being supported by a strong sisterhood. I am so excited to be part of this great Movement — again!”
When not volunteering, Tori is a human resource professional. She enjoys camping, crafting, gardening, puzzles and building with Legos!
