Memories that will last a lifetime.

Perhaps that best sums up Margo Ashner's 60-year affiliation with Girl Scouting.A lifelong resident of Palmerton, Ashner said she has been involved in Scouting since the age of 8."Back in the 1950s, there weren't many choices for girls, so girl scouts was the main organization," Ashner said. "We had a huge population."There was a certain camaraderie about Scouting that Ashner said she took to almost instantaneously."It was the thing to do," said Ashner, 68. "I enjoyed it immediately, was comfortable with it, and I enjoyed the leaders and the kids."When she first started out, Ashner said Girl Scouts learned skills such as music, sewing, cooking, traveling, and about the outdoors.One of her fondest memories was when as a senior Girl Scout, Ashner's troop went to the first International Girl Scout Round-Up in Pikes Peak, Colorado."We trained at least two years to go," she said. "That is the furthest I've ever traveled."Unfortunately, Ashner said her two leaders, Violet Cunningham and Natalie Murray, weren't allowed to go on the trip."Their purpose was to get the girls ready to make this trip by themselves," she said. "We were still chaperoned."As the years went by, Ashner said she took over a troop, with assistance from her husband, Ronald."That's one of the reasons I stayed in," she said. "I felt I had to give back."Ashner stayed involved in Scouting as her oldest daughter, Melissa, joined around the mid-1970s. It was during this time that Ashner said she received a call from her longtime friend, Dorothy Strohl, with whom she became troop leaders."Dorothy is awesome," she said. "She and I work well together."Then, in the 1990s, Ashner's granddaughter, Kayla Ashner, joined Girl Scouts.Over the years, Ashner said she's noticed several distinct changes in Girl Scouting.Originally, Girl Scouting was for girls in grades 1-12. Then, Daisy's were brought it, which meant girls could join once they reached kindergarten, Ashner said."I still don't agree with that," she said. "It's too hard to keep them interested to begin with."Ashner said back when she was in scouting, "most efforts were geared to camping, cooking, arts and crafts and the like.""Back in the 1950s after the war, people were still experiencing spirituality," she said. "The churches and girl scouts thrived, and I think the community worked harder to stay together."Ashner said there were several accomplishments of which she is most proud of, such as the walking tour of Palmerton she made in celebration of 50 years of Girl Scouting.Another achievement Ashner fondly recalls is when she compiled four large scrapbooks that reflect a history of girl scouting in Palmerton which she said is currently housed in the Palmerton Area Library.In 1988, Ashner received the Great Valley Pin, the highest adult award a Girl Scout could attain."My greatest gain personally was the adult friendships that I made," she said. "The friendships were just incredible, and to see how much we could accomplish together."Recently, Ashner was honored by the Palmerton Girl Scout's Service Unit with a dinner and celebration for her 60 years in Girl Scouting."It was fun," she said. "When I saw this big screen that was compiled by Connie Reinhart, I didn't think anything about it until I saw a picture of my husband and me when we were in our twenties."Also at the event, Diane Danielson, who has been in Girl Scouting for 30 years, was presented with the Friend of Girl Scouting Award, and Kim Miller, who has been in Girl Scouting for 10 years, was presented with the Outstanding Leader Award.Ashner, who has served as secretary at St. John's Episcopal Church in Palmerton for nearly 29 years, said she's proud of her longevity in Girl Scouting."It's something I absolutely don't regret doing," she said. "The rewards were not monetary; they were about a deep satisfaction and lifelong friendships that were made."