Badge for 50 years of service

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Elaine Vallender has earned a 50 years service badge.
Elaine Vallender has earned a 50 years service badge.
Elaine Vallender was just 16 years old when she became a GirlGuiding Brownie leader with Shirley Brownies, in Christchurch. It was 1968.

Since then she’s had a life-long association with the youth organisation, aiming to empower girls as they explore their world.

It’s seen her make some great friends and travel the world.

And it’s now earned her a GirlGuiding 50 Years Service Badge.

"Through GirlGuiding I have had opportunities I would never have had and I’ve made some amazingly good friends…people you keep in contact with who have similar values, such as being loyal, supporting each other and respect."

They are the same values she tries to install in her charges.

"You see it coming out with the girls’ development."

And she has been fortunate to "watch girls develop into leaders of the future".

But it’s been a two-way street with GirlGuiding giving her personal development and a raft of experiences.

She has taken on roles such as national board member, national membership committee chair, been a national youth adviser, regional co-ordinator and trainer, and been on two national Rangers event committees.

She has also represented New Zealand at an Asia Pacific Regional Conference and travelled to India, Fiji and Hong Kong.

Elaine came from a GirlGuiding family. Her older sister was a Brownie so it was no surprise when Elaine and her twin sister joined at age eight.

Elaine worked her way up through the ranks and was in Rangers while studying at university.

She moved to Ashburton in 1975 to take up her first teaching role at Ashburton College; as music teacher. She eventually went on to be head of music department, then arts co-ordinator. She started work at St John Ashburton around six years ago.

But the move to Mid Canterbury saw her continue as a GirlGuiding leader, learning the ropes working alongside Muriel Lay and the late-Helen Bell at Allenton Brownies.

She then became Rangers leader at Ashburton Rangers, with girls aged 12 to 17 years old.

It’s where she has stayed. She has been their long enough to see the second generation of Rangers coming through the organisation.

GirlGuiding may have changed in the past few years and become more corporate, but Elaine puts that down to more competition for youth attention now than ever before. There are also more women working, with less time to volunteer than before.

Elaine does plan to retire this year – her and husband, Glenn are planning a move closer to Christchurch – but she will not step down until the end of the year. And it’s a good time, the Ashburton Ranger’s have new leaders being nurtured to pave the way for the future.

She will also finish in her paid role at St John, but continue volunteering with St John, as a health shuttle team leader and promoting the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital.

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