Global Sisterhood* In Action—Mackenzie and the Ukrainian Guides
Our Girl Scout sisterhood* doesn’t just stop at our council borders—it stretches across the globe. Mackenzie H. and Troop 37167 recently reminded us just how powerful that connection can be.
In October 2024, Mackenzie learned that Ukranian Girl Guide Masha Troyanivska had tragically lost her life. The news struck close to home for Mackenzie, whose family is from Ukraine and still has loved ones living there. Wanting to show support, Mackenzie, fluent in Ukranian, wrote a letter to Masha’s family and the Guides of Ukraine Organization to offer her condolences. In true Girl Scouts’ fashion, she invited her troop to join her.
That November, Troop 37167 came together to write a heartfelt letter to the Ukranian Guides inspired by the Brownie Quest Journey: It’s Your World—Change It. Mackenzie gave a presentation on Ukrainian culture and its people and brought books, crafts, post cards, and calendars from Ukraine for her troop to explore.
Sending the letter wasn’t easy. USPS would not deliver the letters to Ukraine, and other mail services charged steep fees. But these Girl Scouts didn’t give up! They found a shipping company called Meest USA, and through them, the troop’s message made its way overseas. By March 2025, their perseverance paid off when a postcard arrived in return.
It came from Mariia Makodzeba, Chief Commissioner for the Association of Ukranian Guides, who not only thanked the troop but invited them to keep in touch via email. With Mackenzie’s help, Troop 37167 set up a Zoom meeting with Ukrainian Guides on May 4, 2025. Together, they had the chance to learn about differences in their uniforms, existing levels, and what scouting looks like in the U.S. compared to Ukraine. They made plans to teach each other new things in future meetings.
Not long after, Troop 37167 dissolved when their troop leader retired, but Mackenzie’s determination to keep the connection with her new Ukranian Guide friends alive never wavered. She created a "Ukrainian Guides Box” filled with activities and patches, including instructions to make a piñata shaped like a Girl Scout vest, bake original Girl Scout cookies from 1922, and all of the supplies needed to make a cake in the shape of the Daisy flower.
Mackenzie dreams of one day welcoming her Ukranian Guide friends to the U.S. For now, she has set her sights on a smaller but equally meaningful goal: sending them Girl Scout cookies during the upcoming cookie season. Mackenzie has joined Troop 37185 and hopes to bring her new troop along in this journey of global sisterhood.
Mackenzie’s story is a beautiful reminder of what it means to be a Girl Scout—leading with empathy, creativity, and perseverance.
