Girl power keeps group going strong

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This article was published 21/07/2015 (3834 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A local group for girls is seeking a century of stories.

Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT) is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. CGIT is a program for girls aged between 12 and 17.

According to the organization’s website, the aim is to provide opportunities for teenage girls and their group leaders to grow together in a Christian community while realizing their self-worth in a relationship with God and discover life’s meaning through the life and teachings of Jesus, while learning to be open and trusting in relationships.

To celebrate the milestone birthday, members of the St. Mary’s Road United Church CGIT Group went online to discover what life was like in the decades since CGIT was formed in 1915. And in keeping with this generational theme, the girls want to hear from CGIT alumni from years gone by who are willing to share their memories of the group.  

The goal is to share these responses at an upcoming anniversary event that will be held on Sat., Sept. 19 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at The United Church in Meadowood, (1111 Dakota St.). CGIT alumni are invited to share their photos and memories with the group by emailing smruc@cgitmanitoba.ca. Please indicate if it’s OK for the group to share this information at the upcoming event and/or in a digital scrapbook.

Group leader Barbara Best, who was also a group member in her teens, said the popularity of CGIT, like many groups of its kind, is “fizzling away” in an age when community members lead increasingly-busy lives and have numerous family commitments. Her group is now the only one left in Manitoba and northwest Ontario. With that in mind, she would love to hear from any potential new group members and encourages would-be volunteers to start a group at their church.

“The world has changed so much since 1915, but human beings are still basically the same. When you boil it all down, if you take away smartphones, the issues for girls in our society remain the same,” Best, 44, said.

Best said there many women whose lives were shaped by the values they learned as girls in CGIT groups, and that some are likely unaware of the current situation.

“We want people to know that this is still running, even though our numbers are dwindling. We would love to see groups in other churches and it would be lovely if an alumnus started up a group in their church. Back in the ‘90s, we used to have members drive here across the city from places like Westwood,” she said.

Best’s daughter, Lilja, has enjoyed learning about history as a member of the group.

“It’s really interesting to find out what CGIT was like before our time,” said Lilja, 15, who attends Glenlawn Collegiate.

“It’s also fun to able to hang out with my friends and my mum and my grandma. This is something that has been passed down in my family.”

Annual highlights for the group include a summer camp at CGIT Camp Brereton in July and a Christmas service featuring a skit and music.    

For more information, go online at www.cgitmanitoba.ca

simon.fuller@canstarnews.com

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