On Memorial Day, Americans pause to remember fallen heroes.
Between the parades and the cookouts, families visit gravesites, often bringing flowers, flags, or personal mementos.
The personal tributes began to flourish at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. The National Parks Service collects those items, with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund covering preservation and storage costs.
Arlington National Cemetery also attracts donors. Items left behind range from dog tags and beer bottles to baby booties and sporting equipment.
When Visiting Savannah …
Girl Scouts visiting Savannah, Georgia, try to include a visit to visit Laurel Grove Cemetery, the gravesite of founder Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low.
For decades, troops have brought their own tributes to place on Daisy’s grave. They have left flowers or a troop patch; they might sing a special song or recite a poem.
Then rock painting became a thing.
Rock painting was the perfect Girl Scout activity during the Covid years. It was a nice craft project that could be done at home, and leaving rocks painted with encouraging messages around the neighborhood could be considered a service project.
As Covid waned and travel resumed, troops decided to bring painted rocks to Savannah to leave on Daisy’s grave. Girls could paint what Girl Scouts means to them. Plus, small rocks easily fit into luggage.
So troops brought rocks to Daisy’s grave. Many, many troops brought rocks. That’s when these small tokens became a problem.
Don’t Rock Daisy!
The gravesite is private. It does not receive any funds from Girl Scouts of the USA or any council.
The Gordon family is responsible for upkeep, but few of them still live in Savannah. They have asked the public for help keeping the site clean.
I’m sure Daisy wound have found something fabulous to do with hundreds of painted rocks.
© 2025 Ann Robertson, writer, editor, Girl Scout historian, but NOT a Girl Scout employee.