Girl Scouts of Maine acknowledges Carolyn Joanne Stevens McNeil who passed away in
Blue Hill, Maine, on July 10, at the age of 79.

Joanne Stevens (McNeil) served as Executive Director of one of Girl Scouts of Maine’s legacy councils, the Abnaki Girl Scout Council, from 1986 to 2002. As such, “Jo” had a tremendous impact on the council and her insights, spirit of adventure, and commitment have significantly contributed to the success of Girl Scouting in Maine.

Home Sweet Home

During her tenure, Jo purchased the property in Brewer that served as Abnaki’s first permanent site and she was responsible for providing staff with their first computers and Internet connectivity. The Brewer facility made it possible for troops traveling from Northern Maine and Downeast to realize a home base in this part of the state. Jo also established a Presque Isle office & shop to better serve members in Aroostook County.

Membership

Because of her personal leadership and service to others, Jo was the quintessential Girl Scout. She served as mentor to many adults - encouraging them and boosting their self-confidence as they trained to become Girl Scout volunteers.

Although each Girl Scout level was important to Jo, she was particularly proud of the retention, active involvement and outstanding accomplishments of Abnaki’s Senior Girl Scouts. She wanted to help girls build character and acquire the skills needed to succeed in the real world and the resources she committed to the Senior Girl Scout program positioned it as one of the best in the country. She made a point of honoring girls whose personal journeys had earned them the highest award in Girl Scouting by attending as many Girl Scout Gold Award ceremonies as possible.

Program

Jo was committed to providing strong program at all Girl Scout levels and horizon-expanding and multi-age events were popular during her tenure. She wanted Abnaki Girl Scouts to have access to every program opportunity available such as Maine Maritime Academy weekends, to Museum of Science trips, to sleepovers at the Bangor Mall and numerous regional events. She introduced members to popular winter programs – skiing, snowshoeing, camping – and secured grant money to fund equipment purchases. Today, a generation of women still have fond memories of trekking in to Camp Natarswi to experience winter camping.

Jo also encouraged travel such as Wider Opportunities and destinations, and enabled contingents of girls and adults to attend National Council meetings as well as council patrols to Pax Lodge, Our Chalet, Our Cabana, and to the home of our founder, Juliette Gordon Low, in Savannah, GA.

Camp Natarswi

Jo was a true champion of Camp Natarswi in Baxter State Park and ensured that camp was an active, happy place with a long season. Programming was planned from spring through fall with activities for troop, family and resident campers as well as training weekends that attracted over 100 adult volunteers.

Helping Hands at Camp Natarswi is an innovative activity that received recognition from Girl Scouts of the USA. Jo recruited volunteers to join forces on Memorial Day weekend to open camp, and on Columbus Day weekend to secure camp for the winter. These activities at Natarswi helped build strong support for camp while introducing new campers to the site.

Jo Stevens Scholarship Award

In addition to overseeing council operations, Jo also performed her share of fundraising and public relations work.

One project in particular was very successful. She founded a scholarship program – which she funded out of her own pocket until her retirement – for the dual purpose of honoring outstanding graduating seniors as well as to find out what Girl Scouting meant to them. Consequently, when she had to explain the value of Girl Scouting to funders she often did so in girls’ own words, quoting from their essays.

Upon her retirement, the Jo Stevens Scholarship Award continued through funding by the Abnaki Council, and today by Girl Scouts of Maine.

In addition to her work in Maine, Jo was a certified Girl Scout Executive and held different positions at councils in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Washington State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Alabama and with Girl Scouts of the USA.

Jo Stevens McNeil was truly a woman of courage, confidence and character whose work on behalf of Girl Scouts will be remembered in many ways by many people.

Memorial funds may be made to World Foundation of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, New York City, to be designated for Our Cabana, Cuernavaca, Mexico.