Jackie Livingston is Building Global Bridges in North Idaho

Timeless Adult Volunteer 2024
Jackie Livingston
Each February, more than 300 Girl Scouts come together at the Coeur D’Alene fairgrounds to learn about the world. Over 100 countries are represented. Flags are flown from each country; Girl Scouts make and serve foods representative of their countries; and they share what they have learned about different parts of the world.  

​This is the World Thinking Day celebration in North Idaho, and for the last eight years, it’s happened thanks to a dedicated Girl Scout volunteer from Post Falls, Jackie Livingston. Jackie is this year’s Timeless Adult Volunteer award winner, and hearing people speak about her contributions to the Girls Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, it’s easy to see why she’s been selected for this honor. 

​Brian Newberry, Chief Executive Officer of the Girls Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, said of Jackie’s World Thinking Day celebration, “It is an iconic event and helps Girl Scouts learn about the world and make the world a better place. Jackie has made this happen for eight years. Every year it grows and every year it is more uplifting. Jackie is a timeless volunteer and raised two Gold Girl Scouts!”

Brian added, “Jackie continued the great World Thinking Day tradition during the pandemic years. She took it outside, and the Girl Scouts had fun and even had snowball fights. Jackie is committed to making the world a better place.”
 
Jackie’s connection to Girl Scouts spans many years. Her kids were involved in both Girl and Boy Scouts, and she saw the amazing opportunities available through the Scouts. Jackie started serving as a parent volunteer, then about 10 years ago, became a troop leader, and then a service unit manager. She now coordinates 13 troops.

​As Jackie said of her role, “I help, especially the new troops, get the hang of things, answer questions, just all kinds of things. Between managing the troops, I don’t know why I decided I needed to do more, but I also decided to start helping counsel more, so I became what they call an adult learning facilitator, basically teaching leaders how to run troops and offering different courses. It’s a lot. It’s amazing too. It’s really fun. My girls got me into it, and I stuck with it.”

Three of Jackie’s daughters have earned the Gold Award, the highest award that Girl Scouts can earn. Similar to the Boy Scout Eagle Award, Girl Scouts must complete a massive community service project in order to be eligible.
 
Honoring all of Jackie’s contributions to the Girl Scouts, how did it feel to learn she’d won the Timeless Adult Volunteer award? 
 
“Well, I was shocked,” Jackie said. “It seems like such an honor, and I am just so humbled by it because it was very out of the blue. I just did not expect it at all. All I can say is, it’s an honor and very humbling to be recognized for things that to me feel like second nature.”
 
Jackie added, “Through Girl Scouts, we’re helping our community, because we do many community service projects for children in our area, women's shelters, food banks, and so much more. You name it, our girls are out there helping.”
 
Thanks to Jackie’s efforts, many more lives will be changed for the better. 

Brian concluded of Jackie’s timeless contributions, 

​“Most leaders impact just their troop. Jackie impacts all of North Idaho with her iconic World Thinking Day. She is iconic to us."

Congratulations to this icon and here's to all the ways she is helping to bridge communities, and the world, through her volunteer work with the Girl Scouts.

​Written by: Sonya Feibert

​Sonya is a writer living in Boise, Idaho. She loves hiking in the foothills with her family and teaching and performing improv. ​Learn more