http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/ Meetings, holidays, fundraising events, and other special dates. en-us http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8505 This past July, Ambassador Girl Scout Bryna Shuman went on a two-week "Student Ambassador" trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The two weeks were jammed packed with fun and exciting learning experiences. She got to mingle with the famous Galapagos tortoises, snorkel with sea lions and sharks off the coast of the Galapagos, wander the streets of Quito, the capital city, hike through the Amazon Rainforest, and even spend a day planting balsa trees with local school children. It was an amazing experience, and one that she will never forget! http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8875 Each year World Thinking day is celebrated by girls across the globe on February 22. This year's theme is Millennium Development Goal 3: gender equality and empowering women. The mission of Girl Scouts and the focus for World Thinking Day 2011, is empowering girls to change our world. Troops across Eastern Massachusetts are exploring cultures and traditions in different countries, for example Troop 72371 in Ashland coordinated an International day where Girl Scouts performed an El Salvadorian dance, an Italian Skit, an Indian Baliwood dance and offered tasty treats such as croissants from a French booth. More thank thirteen troops from Natick hosted an international day, transforming the Elks Lodge into a little piece of Greece, Egypt, France and Switzerland. The Girls performed traditional dances, served delicacies such as Baklava, pita chips and educated those attending the event on the country they chose to study. Wareham Troops educated the community on different traditions celebrated in Australia, France and Ireland. Charlestown held their celebration on March 2nd. Those who participated in the festivities included Brownies, Juniors and Caddettes. Countries studied included Argentina, India, China, Cameroon and The Congo to name a few. The festivities had more than 100 guests. What did your troop do for World Thinking Day? http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=10153 On November 16, Girl Scouts in troops 74358, 74315, and 74365 got in the holiday spirit with The UPS Store in Boston to make cards for patients at Children's Hospital. The event was part of the "12 Days of Arthur Christmas" series being held in the Boston area this holiday season. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=9016 Troop 60916 of Tyngsboro just completed a trip to Washington DC. While they were there they met Niki Tsongas on the steps of the Capitol and had an opportunity to talk to her and ask questions. She told them about life in Congress and pointed out that it is a great job for women to do. The girls spent 9 months planning the trip, including selling over 3,000 boxes of cookies and other fundraisers in order to pay for the trip.Photo courtesy of Dianna Mines. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=9020 On Tuesday, July 12th, Troop 80026 celebrated their achievements by attending the top troop performance party. The celebration was held at Build-A-Bear in Kingston, where the girls stuffed, stitched, fluffed, and dressed their new stuffed animals. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=7688 Cadette Girl Scouts from Reading Girl Scout Troop 73712 are working on their Girl Scout Silver Award. Their project entitled, Teens to Tots is a community service project dedicated to teaching young children and helping them develop positive life habits. This summer they have been busy promoting sun protection. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8484 Quincy Girl Scout Troop 74143 recently completed their Girl Scout Bronze Award. For their project, Troop 74143 volunteered at the Helping Hands Essentials Pantry at the Christ Church in Quincy. The girls collected toiletries and wrote letters to local businesses asking to put collection boxes in their locations to collect items to donate to Helping Hands Essentials Pantry. The troop also volunteered their time once a month by stocking shelves and collecting additional supplies. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=7602 Check out Peabody Brownie Troop 60834 who participated in the annual Peabody Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31! http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=9007 Lynn Girl Scout Troops honored our past and present soldiers this Memorial day by walking in the Lynn Memorial Day Parade.  http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=10059 Gold Award recipient Heather O'Neill and her niece Emma Haher, a Daisy in the first grade, dressed in 1940s Girl Scout uniforms for the annual Labor day parade in Marlborough. Heather has been a troop leader for the past six years. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8532 The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and to encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.Recently, three Reading Girl Scouts who are all freshman at Reading Memorial High School were recognized by the President’s Council for their community service efforts. Kasey Cook, Mary Kate Kelley and Grace Stroman all received the Gold Award in recognition of more than 100 hours of community service in the past twelve months. The young ladies could be found in so many different venues around Reading as they earned the award. You might have seen them tending for an Adopt an Island, tutoring at the middle school, helping to host the Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, Running the Hoops for Heart Program, working at their churches, volunteering at the library, helping the Rotary Club, or volunteering as part of Reading Girl Scouts, to name a few.The scouts were honored at a ceremony during a recent Girl Scout event held in Plymouth, MA. Younger scouts from Reading were honored to be able to make the presentations of the Gold Awards to the older scouts. In the upcoming twelve months, Cook, Kelley and Stroman will continue their community service efforts and hope that other youngsters in Reading will join them. Children as young as five years old can earn the award.According to the President’s Council, recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation, and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or during their entire lifetime. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=10178 Mansfield Girl Scout Cadette Lauren Claus and her sister Lindsey designed the President John Fitzgerald Kennedy patch which she proudly displayed at the JFK library. Photo courtesy of Tom Fitzsimmons. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=7689 Anna Mullane, 9, of Chelmsford Girl Scout Troop 60209, tapes up a welcome sign to encourage Chelmsford Library patrons to come into the meeting room and make a card for a service member. She organized the event for a scout service project. The cards will be included in packages sent to members of the military through Operation Quiet Comfort. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8945  Lexington Girl Scout Troop 71625 decided for their service project to send their support to Japan. The girls plan to fold origami cranes, send cards to children living in affected areas of Japan and raise funding for different organizations helping those affected by the Earth quake and Tsunami. An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane. Troop 71625 hopes to send 1,000 origami cranes with a heartfelt wish for a harmonious recovery. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8903 Kingston Brownie Troop 80354 visited Sugar Plum Bakery as part of earning their Cookies Count Try-it badge. They were given a tour of the bakery and asked the bakers questions. The girls were very excited to meet Joanna Lyons who recently competed on the TLC TV show The Next Great Baker. They also decorated their own cookies as a yummy treat. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=10100 Ipswich Girl Scouts from Junior Troop 60628 created a 100th Anniversary display with pumpkins for the Topsfield Fair. The pumpkins are decorated to reflect the changing Girl Scout uniform styles throughout the years. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8938 Hopkinton Girl Scouts hosted a Boston Marathon tea to educate other Girl Scouts on the 'Go the Distance' patch program created in Hopkinton. This year's tea will allow those who have already received the patch to mentor and encourage other Girl Scouts to earn the patch as well. By sharing their discoveries, connections and actions they will educate and hopefully inspire other scouts to pursue this patch or to develop a new project of their own. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8880 All Girl Scouts are known for Thin Mints and Tagalongs, but Wareham's Troop 81794 has been recognized for another culinary creation: cranberry bread.The Troop has been making the recipe, called "Zesty, Zingy Cranberry Bread," during the holiday season for three years. This past year, the girls donated more than a dozen loaves to St. Patrick's church, and helped serve the bread to Wareham's homeless during one of the church's dinners.Read the full story in the Warham Week. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8992 Greater Taunton residents stretched on their rubber gloves Saturday morning to combat a vast build-up of debris in local streets and parks for Earth Day. Teen girl scout Alexis Delzell, 16, and her mother Cindy tackled the other major problem area: The Fred Martin Parkway.Read the Taunton Gazette article. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8944  Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts partnered with Franklin Park Zoo to celebrate Earth Day by throwing a party for the planet on Saturday, April 16th. This family fun event helped kick off a year of service to celebrate the Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary. The theme for the year long Take Action Project leading up to the centennial celebration is Girl Scouts Forever Green. More than 1,000 Girl Scouts attended the zoo to listen to guest speakers discuss rain gardens and how the girls can construct, and maintain rain gardens in their communities. The Girl Scouts also made bags out of old T-shirts and created necklaces out of plastic bags. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=10076 Girl Scouts from Andover, Wilmington and Billerica discussed the importance of the river and environment with Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, on Saturday, September 17th at the River Walk Festival. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8876 The Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts brought a lively contingent of Girl Scouts to attend a conference hosted by the Harvard Women's Law Association at Harvard Law School, titled "This is What Equality Looks Like: The World We Want for Women and Girls." Connie L. Lindsey, National Girl Scout USA, President presented as part of a "Equality for Girls" panel discussion at the Harvard Women's Law Association Conference. More than 20 local Girl Scouts had the chance to meet Lindsey and hear the compelling panel discussion. The panel focused on efforts to eliminate gender discrimination in the schools and on the streets for girls around the world as the best way to positively affect change. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=7606 Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts recently honored our Girl Scout Gold Award recipients! The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout’s project is something that fulfills a need within a girl's community whether local or global, creates change, and hopefully, is something that becomes ongoing. The project is more than a good service project—it encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. The project usually takes about two years to complete. Check out photos from events through out the council! http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=9005 Easton Girl Scout Troop 65049 have been awarded the Greenschool’s Green Difference Award in the category of Outstanding Green Activists. They were selected based upon their committed efforts to gather information on the concept of energy, as well as hosting a linen drive in their town, creating a piece of art out of reusable plastic water bottles, participating in a lights out challenge, and much more.Read the two Easton Journal articles. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=9956 Last week 41 Girl Scouts from around the country traveled to New England to spend eight days exploring historical sites and learn about Oceanography from world class women biologists from MIT and Bridgewater State. The girls stayed at the beautiful Massachusetts Maritime Academy campus enjoying views of the Ocean and delicious BBQs.The girls spent their time on land exploring Boston’s historic sites along the Freedom Trail such as the Bunker Hill Monument, Paul Revere’s home and Faneuil Hall. The girls also traveled up the coast to visit Historic Salem, where the infamous Witch trials took place, a group favorite.Once the land part of the trip was completed the girls got their sea legs on and went on a whale watch, visited Boston Harbor's Spectable Island where they observed sea life, participated in various workshops provided by MIT and Mass. Maritime Academy such as coastal conservation, cold water survival and nautical knowledge as well as drove a bridge simulator through the Cape Cod Canal.A special thank you to all the volunteers who helped make the trip a success! http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=9010  On May 21st Amesbury’s Daisy Troop 63163 spent their weekend at Camp Runels. The Girls raised as many as 20 backpacks stuffed with school supplies, nail polish, hair ties, and games for Shriners patients and their families. The girls also spent the weekend learning how to create and perform skits straight from the Shriners clowns.Photos courtesy of Jeanne McCue.Read the full article. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=9025 The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout can achieve. The Gold Award is something that fulfills a need within a girl's community whether local or global, creates change, and is something that becomes ongoing. The project is more than a good service project—it encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. Only about 5 percent of all Girl Scouts earn this award each year. Andover Townsman               Danvers Herald Athol Daily News                  Dover-Sherborn Press Bedford Minuteman               Dorchester Argus Burlington Union                    Boston Globe Cape Cod Times                   Cohasset Mariner Daily Times Chronicle            Dorchester Reporter      Lexington Minuteman            Lynnfield Villager Medfield Press                     Needham Hometown Weekly  Needham Times                   North Reading Transcript Stoneham Independent         Sudbury Town Crier Swampscott Reporter          Taunton Daily Gazette     Walpole Times                    Wilmington Town Crier     Winchester Star                   Norton Mirror http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=10105 Chelmsford Girl Scout Troop 63112 planted a tree at the Center Elementary School to help the school yard become more beautiful. The troop took turns digging a hole and planting a small maple tree. http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=7603 Charlestown Girl Scout Troop 71320 had the exciting opportunity to do the opening flag ceremony at the Boston Red Sox game on Sunday, May 9 against the New York Yankees. The Girl Scouts delivered good luck that night as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 9 to 3!!! http://www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/aboutus/troop-news.html?id=8507 On Saturday, September 11, 2010, Brockton Girl Scouts attended the September 11 ceremony at Brockton's City Hall. The girls presented Mayor Linda Balzotti with a patriotic bouquet of flowers, listened attentively to the speeches and were invited inside City Hall for refreshments. For some of the girls it was their first introduction to what happened on September 11 since most of them were under the age of 9.