Two of the over 4200 Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa volunteers were recognized amongst their peers for their excellence in leadership in 2024.

Rose Bogaard, a U.S. Navy veteran, received the Girl Scouts USA Volunteer of Excellence Award for creating Iowa’s first and only Girl Scout Trailblazer troop, Troop 153. While Girl Scouts are trained to have outdoor skills and earn applicable badges, Troop 153 is unique because its members are outdoor experts in survivalist skills to include primitive camping and foraging in a variety of climates.

Rose and her co-leader, Carrie Atkinson, as well as their Trailblazers, were officially given the Trailblazer Troop designation by Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa this year and received the Silver Award.

Carrie, a Retired Marine Corps officer, was also named Rookie Leader of the Year by Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, nearly tripling the troop’s membership in four months from eight to 23 girls (and now 29) and doubling the size of the overall Pella Girl Scout program.

In addition to Troop 153 Trailblazers, Carrie and Rose also co-lead Troop 1509 in Pella, currently composed of 29 girls in grades kindergarten through 8th grade.