About Us

Pioneer Council offers traditional Girl Scouting to girls of all ages, as well as new and alternative types of membership. In 2001, Pioneer Council won a coveted National Quality Award for a program that served girl victims of domestic violence.

Administrative offices are in Gastonia (headquarters), and Forest City. The council also maintains a program center (the Shelby Girl Scout Hut) in Shelby City Park (Cleveland County).

Beautiful Camps

One of the most beautiful Girl Scout camps in the country belongs to us. Camp Golden Valley (Rutherford County) is resident camp heaven, with mountains, trails, a lake, an on-site equestrian center, and more.

Camp Rotary (Gaston County) is a wonderful day camp with both rustic and modern facilities, as well as a lake, trails, and a low-ropes challenge course.

Origins

Back in 1923, the one and only Gaston County Girl Scout troop met at Abernethy School. It wasn't until 1947 that Gaston, Cleveland and Lincoln counties became Pioneer Girl Scout Council, later adding Rutherford and Polk counties to its Girl Scout jurisdiction.

Since then, hundreds of women and men have worked selflessly and with great determination to keep Juliette Gordon Low's vision of Girl Scouting alive. Today, Girl Scouts of the Pioneer Council serves approximately 3,300 girls and 1,000 adults in five counties in North Carolina.

Our Mission

Girl Scouts is the world's pre-eminent organization for girls, and only girls. Its mission is to inspire girls with the highest ideals, of conduct, character, patriotism and service, so that they may become caring and resourceful citizens.

"Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place!"