by Krista McCracken
Last week 50 women gathered at a church along the North Shore of Lake Huron to celebrate their shared memories, reminisce over local connections, and reflect on the national Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT) movement. This year marks the 100th anniversary of CGIT. I volunteered during the local anniversary celebration and learned about what CGIT meant for this particular group of women.
The celebration was filled with moments of laughter and the type of storytelling you would expect from a group of close friends – hair catching on fire during a candlelight service, pie being spilt on tea guests, and reflections on lasting bonds of friendship. CGIT was also praised as providing leadership on social issues, providing opportunities for girls to take on leadership roles, and as a place to develop confidence and the ability to speak your mind.
CGIT was established in 1915 by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and the major protestant denominations in Canada as a means of promoting Christian living in girls aged 12-17. The CGIT movement was started by four young Canadian women: Winnifred Thomas, Olive Ziegler, Una Saunders, and Constance Body.
As World War One continued overseas Thomas, Ziegler, Saunders, and Body looked at the lack of leadership roles available to young women at home and the need to provide service opportunities for girls. Continue reading