Rainbow Girls parents... questions for you.

[pjlla]

So my DD is joining Rainbow Girls. She already filled out her "Petition" or whatever it was called. She has been attending RG events with a friend since last fall (Halloween party, sleep-over, etc) and it looks like it is time for her "induction" or "initiation" or whatever the proper word is. Adults who are involved with this keep asking me if I have any questions. The problem is.... I don't! Because I have almost NO idea exactly what is involved in this organization! What are the expectations for the girls? Weekly meeting?? Monthly meetings? Community service projects? Fundraisers? Like I said... I don't even have any really intelligent questions to ask!

Could you share with me your experiences with this?? Maybe I could come up with some intelligent questions based on what you have been through. Did your daughter love it? It is REALLY time consuming? What is expected from the parents? Is this group as "wholesome" as I have come to believe?

Thanks in advance......................P

 

[Sparx]

i've never heard of it, but i googled and found this website.

http://www.gorainbow.org/home/home.taf

hope that helps.

 

[kidzmom3]

have you checked out their website? I had never heard of them and when I read your post, thats what I did.

gorainbow.org

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I've never heard of them but clicked on the link.

Here is the first sentence on their website: The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is the only youth club that teaches what matters most – leadership, confidence, and citizenship.

Have they never heard of Girl Scouts???

Hope your DD enjoys Rainbow Girls. I love to see kids involved.

I actually looked to see if there are any chapters, troops, whatever in NJ. There is one that's not too far. Weird? Never heard of them.

 

[Sparx]

I've never heard of them but clicked on the link.

Here is the first sentence on their website: The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is the only youth club that teaches what matters most – leadership, confidence, and citizenship.

Have they never heard of Girl Scouts???

Hope your DD enjoys Rainbow Girls. I love to see kids involved.

I actually looked to see if there are any chapters, troops, whatever in NJ. There is one that's not too far. Weird? Never heard of them.

if you keep looking on the faq list, there is a question that says, "is RG a secret organization?" and they say no, but huh. weird that you've never heard of them.

 

[Pakey]

One of the questions I would ask is required attire. When I was in Rainbow Girls (many moons ago), we had to wear formal attire quite often. As an officer each year, I had to buy a matching formal dress that was worn when new girls were initiated (each annual President picked the colors she wanted). Additionally, we went to state functions where we had to have matching formals, which of course were not the same as the matching ones we wore for initiations. During my 4 years in Rainbow Girls, my parents had to purchase, or pay to have made, approximately 20 formal dresses.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

During my 4 years in Rainbow Girls, my parents had to purchase, or pay to have made, approximately 20 formal dresses.

And to think that I have parents complaining about buying a new vest for badges every 3 years!!

 

[Sparx]

And to think that I have parents complaining about buying a new vest for badges every 3 years!!

i thought having 10 dresses from my 8 years in 4H was pretty bad.

 

[themarquis]

How fascinating!

I didn't know what it was either, but looked it up and it's a Freemasonry thing. I can find pages and pages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Order_of_the_Rainbow_for_Girls) about all the different divisions, officers, councils, etc. (sounds very secret society-ish) but nothing about what they actually DO (i.e., camping trips? badges? community service? etc.)

 

[SueM in MN]

I hadd a friend in High School who was a Rainbow Girl. They were connected to the Masons Organization at one point (that's probably where the "Is RG a Secret Society?" question in the FAQs came from).
I don't know if this is true any more, but when I was in High School, a RG had to have a father who was a member of a Masonic Lodge.

 

[mjkacmom]

I was a rainbow girls ages ago - my father's family is very into the Masons (my grandmother and aunts were Eastern Star). We had to wear long white gowns, and besides induction (when the officers are sworn in), it's private (but nothing bad goes on - lots of ritual). You are assigned "stations," and have to memorize your "parts." I guess it sounds kind of weird (and if you saw the rituals, it might seem weird), but I grew up with it.

She will be blindfolded!

 

[CPT Tripss]

if you keep looking on the faq list, there is a question that says, "is RG a secret organization?" and they say no, but huh. weird that you've never heard of them.

Is that why I see so many cars with rainbow decals on the back window? They want each other to know, but not the rest of us?

 

[mjkacmom]

Is that why I see so many cars with rainbow decals on the back window? They want each other to know, but not the rest of us?

You're kidding, right? I thought that was a gay pride symbol.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ours was called "Job's Daughters".

I was in that organization and it was tied to the Masons. We did the white outfit with the slippers.

It is somewhat religious and they are doing the works of Job in the bible. And yes we had alot of dances.

 

[mjkacmom]

Ours was called "Job's Daughters".

I was in that organization and it was tied to the Masons. We did the white outfit with the slippers.

It is somewhat religious and they are doing the works of Job in the bible. And yes we had alot of dances.

I don't know - I was in it 30 years ago, and it was somewhat religious (I'm catholic, but my dad, a Mason, is methodist), and we had dances, with the demolay (sp), the male group.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't know - I was in it 30 years ago, and it was somewhat religious (I'm catholic, but my dad, a Mason, is methodist), and we had dances, with the demolay (sp), the male group.

Oh yea...with the little ribbon with the purple strip. I think it was called different things in different branches.
The Demolay guys, uh huh.

I can recall the mention of "Eastern Star".

 

[mjkacmom]

Oh yea...with the little ribbon with the purple strip. I think it was called different things in different branches.
The Demolay guys, uh huh.

I can recall the mention of "Eastern Star".

Lots of women in my dad's family in Eastern Star - sadly, I remember a lot of their services at wakes. My grandfather was a Grand Master, which was a big deal, in the Masons.

 

[KarenB]

I was a rainbow girls ages ago - my father's family is very into the Masons (my grandmother and aunts were Eastern Star). We had to wear long white gowns, and besides induction (when the officers are sworn in), it's private (but nothing bad goes on - lots of ritual). You are assigned "stations," and have to memorize your "parts." I guess it sounds kind of weird (and if you saw the rituals, it might seem weird), but I grew up with it.

She will be blindfolded!

Oh yes..I remember all of that stuff when I was in this years ago (early 70s I think). There was a secret password (I still remember it), lots of memorization and scripted parts to the meetings, one officer was the outer observer that was outside the entrance in case someone came, we wore long white dresses. It is all coming back now. It was very secretive, but nothing that was bad or wrong ever happened. It was kid of weird and I have no clue today why it had to be such a secret about everything. It was a lot about community service.I still have a pin with all the colors of the rainbow, but I can remember how I earned it.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I don't know - I was in it 30 years ago, and it was somewhat religious (I'm catholic, but my dad, a Mason, is methodist), and we had dances, with the demolay (sp), the male group.

I was in it 30 years ago too and it was religious. We had to wear white dresses and shoes. The only person who got to wear a formal in a color was the wothy advisor. As to the rainbow on the back of cars...it is a gay pride symbol. I have seen cars with Rainbow Girls type stickers on them and they are not secret they say exactly what the organization is. I did not really enjoy it because it was mostly meetings once a month and IHMO it was like going to church an extra day per month. I think it just depended on the section to which you belonged.
If the organization has evolved and broken from the Masons then I am surprised.

 

[L107ANGEL]

Is that why I see so many cars with rainbow decals on the back window? They want each other to know, but not the rest of us?

I am thinking no