Patti Green’s first taste of volunteering came as a mother getting involved in one of her daughter’s activities.

Unlike many mothers, her passion for helping out has only grown stronger, even four years after her youngest daughter was out of the program.

Green has spent the last eight years as Palmerton service unit manager for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, and 21 years involved with the organization altogether.

“It’s one of those things where once you get involved, you never get out,” Green said. “The girls are so much fun to be around. It keeps me in it.”

When her daughter’s troop needed a leader, Green stepped up and hasn’t looked back. Her longevity in the role of Girl Scout leader did catch Green off guard, but she has thrived in a role that causes many to take a pass.

“When I started, I never expected to be doing it this long,” she said. “The service unit manager is actually one of those positions usually nobody wants, but it’s been a unique opportunity and I’ve really enjoyed the experience.”

Passing on those leadership qualities has become one of the most rewarding parts of her experience.

“I like mentoring the young leaders and getting across to them what we are trying to accomplish,” Green said. “We’re trying to show the girls how to be leaders with character, courage and competence.”

When that hard work starts yielding results, Green said it becomes one of the most satisfying parts of volunteering. She said the girls who have gone through the troop over the years have gone on to become teachers, an architect, a pilot and a diesel mechanic, among other careers.

“There is a lot that goes into how these young people became as successful as they are, but knowing Girl Scouts played some type of role is pretty incredible,” Green said.

Spend enough time with any group of people and they become a family. That has certainly come true for Green, who lost her husband after a battle with brain cancer. In her moment of need, the Girl Scouts family stepped in to help.

“The girls and the other leaders stepped up and really helped me get through,” she said. “They provided meals, gave me rides, and got groceries when I needed things. It’s really a family atmosphere. There couldn’t be a more supportive group of people.”

The support wasn’t only a major help for Green, but it became a teaching moment.

“I think it taught the children that you should always be there for your community, because you never know when you’ll need your community and they’ll be there for you,” Green said. “I hope, more than anything, that the girls saw that and really understood it.”

Girl Scouts is not immune to the problems other organizations who rely on volunteers face. Those volunteers, Green said, are hard to find. Troop leaders hit up Meet the Teacher nights and other community events with the hope of finding new blood. At those events, Green said she focuses on the perks of the position, such as getting to know your child’s friends.

“Fortunately for us, we do have some dedicated people,” Green, who said she volunteers an average of 15-20 hours a month, said. “We have leaders who don’t have children involved, but they still drive in from Bangor and Bath. That’s a real dedication and it defines what volunteerism is all about.”

Especially at this time of year, when the average person hears Girl Scouts, their minds usually go straight to cookies. While that is a major part of the experience, Green said the organization is about so much more than Thin Mints, Savannah Smiles or her personal favorite, Peanut Butter Patties.

“Our girls do community service and they go camping and hiking,” Green said. “They are out there learning leadership skills.”

Those community service activities include planting flowers near Palmerton Borough Hall every year and hosting an annual soup drive at Country Harvest.

Though no one could fault her if she decided to step away after two-plus decades of involvement, Green has no end in sight.

“I haven’t really thought about when I would stop,” she said. “I guess if I wasn’t having fun anymore, but I don’t see that ever happening.”