History of Guiding

1857 - Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, is born on February 22, in London, England

1889 - Olave St. Clair Soames, the founder of Girl Scouts, is born on February 22, in Chesterfield, England

1908 - Lord Baden-Powell, a celebrated war hero, writes and publishes his book, "Scouting for Boys". Soon after, Scouting groups are formed in England and make their way to Canada within a few months

1909 - Two girls decide that girls should be able to be Boy Scouts too! They shock Lord Baden-Powell by showing up at a Scouting meeting, having registered using their brother's Scouting books. Lord Baden-Powell has his sister Agnes start a Scouting movement for girls

1910 - Girl Guides is established in Canada, with the first registered company (group of Guides) from St. Catharines, Ontario

1912 - Olave St. Clair Soames and Lord Baden-Powell secretly marry to avoid the press on October 30

1920 - The first Brownie Pack is registered in Hanover, Ontario, because many younger sisters of Girl Guides want to be part of the program, too

1927 - Girl Guide leaders in Regina have the magnificent idea of baking and selling cookies as a fundraiser for their Girl Guides group, starting a cookie-selling tradition that continues to this day

1941 - Lord Baden-Powell dies January 8 in Nyeri, Kenya

1961 - The organization is renamed Girl Guides of Canada - Guides du Canada

1977 - Lady Olave Baden-Powell dies June 19 in Bramley, England

1979 - the Pathfinder program is launched

1989 - the Sparks program is launched

2005 - Girl Guides of Canada - Guides du Canada celebrates its 95th anniversary, with more than 140,000 Members

For a more detailed history of Canadian Guiding, click here (external link)