Lillian Piñon Carrillo, Legacy Inductee, organized Brownie and Girl Scout troops in Globe in the 1950s for Mexican-American girls who were not welcomed by other troops in the community.  Within the Sahuaro Girl Scouts Council, she began the Holy Angels School Girl Scout Troop # 609. Her 30-year commitment to these programs defines her legacy of community service and volunteerism. In her leadership roles in Gila County and the State of Arizona as Junior Leader, Cadette Leader, and Senior Advisor, she mentored girls and young women between the ages of nine to seventeen who came from racial, ethnic and diverse backgrounds.

She used her entrepreneurship and business background to help them engage in public service projects and fund-raising for the Easter Seals program, the United Fund campaign, and for the American Red Cross. These projects made a difference in many rural communities. The girls earned badges through their community service work and became self-reliant and resourceful. In the ensuing years, these girls became Globe’s community leaders and entrepreneurs engaged in public service work and followed the example of their Girl Scout leader and mentor.

Lillian recruited and trained a staff of 30 girls and women to assist her in directing the Girl Scout Day Camp, which served the Girl Scouts in the Gila County area for more than 17 years. She also served as a liaison for the Sahuaro Girl Scouts Council and the United Fund and helped raise money for the needy, the aged, and the infirm. For her leadership, in 1972 Lillian was awarded the prestigious St. Anne Medal at a Mass celebration by the Diocesan Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts and held at the historic Saint Augustine Cathedral in Tucson. Her Junior Girl Scout Troop #609 attended the Mass, the service, and the award ceremony, and helped to celebrate the event with her.

In the 1960s, Lillian was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, raising funds for veterans’ projects and for scholarships for students. She used her bi-lingual skills to make public service radio announcements on local radio stations. The Women’s Auxiliary sponsored the Girls State Program, which sent Globe High School girls to the University of Arizona for a week of training on government and democracy.

Lillian brought a new sense of entrepreneurism to her community in 1970 when she and her husband opened the “Old México Gift Shop” on North Broad Street. The shop featured Mexican imports that appealed to customers seeking high-quality works of art, glassware, jewelry, and leather. Her bilingual skills and personal knowledge of her own Mexican culture and history made it easy for her to engage in marketing and distribution opportunities that made the business successful. She later opened the Lily Pad, a clothing store that featured stylish garments and accessories for women.

In the 1980s, Lillian engaged in the charitable work of the Salvation Army in service to the needy through their work within the network of Salvation Army thrift shops. She served on their Advisory Board, helped raise funds for the poor, and engaged with them in their civic work in Gila County. Lillian was a participant in the Main Street Program of Arizona, which was linked to the National Main Street Program. In 1986, business owners were chosen to work with the Program’s architect to participate in a facade study to improve the general structure of buildings and store fronts on Broad Street. Her store was selected as one of the buildings in the study. The project revitalized Globe’s historic district. It ensured the vitality of the area and preserved its historic heritage and buildings. Lillian successfully linked her talents and skills as an entrepreneur with a community who welcomed visitors and tourists, thereby improving Globe’s economy.

In the 1990s, Lillian’s political work as a member of the Democratic Women’s Club enabled her to participate in registering voters and raising funds to support candidates for local and state offices. She attended regional meetings and conferences and kept informed of political issues that affected voters in Gila County. Throughout the years, Lillian received numerous awards and honors. In 2012 she was inducted into the Globe High School Hall of Fame.

One of Lillian’s former girl scouts who is now a girl scout leader herself said of her, “I was very fortunate to be a member of Mrs. Carrillo’s troop and be surrounded by a culture of contributing and giving back. She was truly dedicated to our troop, gave all her girls the very best, and exemplified a strong, courageous, career mom during a time when society was not quite accustomed to “working moms”. Lillian’s work with the Brownie Girl Scouts and Girl Scouts impacted the lives of thousands. She provided these young girls with opportunities they would not have had without her efforts and mentorship. She also volunteered in charitable, political, school, and other community organizations demonstrating the importance of giving back to the community she loved.