After working at a Macon rehabilitation and detention center for girls, Bailey had the vision to organize young women for the Young Women’s Christian Association’s (YWCA) Girl Reserves group.
In 1935, Bailey gathered informal groups of Black girls and started giving them the opportunity to learn life skills and lessons, much like their white counterparts in the Girl Scouts.
After organizing some 15 Girl Reserve troops in Georgia, Girl Scouts, U.S.A. took notice and invited Bailey to organize the first Black Girl Scouts troop.
Bailey was also named the chairwoman for the Macon Girl Scout’s Central Committee and earned the Thanks badge, the Scouts’ highest honor given to an adult.
In 1994, The Macon Girl Scouts Center was renamed the Sarah Bailey Service Center.
