HOWLAND - Local Girl Scouts were among those who took part in scouting 100th anniversary Rock the Mall celebration June 8 to 10 at the national mall in Washington, D.C.
The event was a singalong with a large gathering of Girl Scouts, friends and alumnae at the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington to demonstrate the power of girl leadership.
Erica Sincich, Brownie Troop 179 leader from Howland-Vienna Service Unite 807, organized one of the local trips with three charter buses taking the 155 scouts and parents from Howland, Vienna, Kinsman, Cortland, Shaker Heights, Lorain and Erie, Pa.
Sincich said once the group arrived in Washington, they took part in various tours and finished the day with a riverboat cruise on the Potomac River. The group toured the Capitol building and then headed to the national mall for the four-hour Rock the Mall celebration, as well as visiting the Smithsonian and Holocaust museums, Arlington National Cemetery, the zoo and the Pentagon Memorial.
"There were over 250,000 Girl Scouts from around the world in attendance at Rock the Mall," Sincich said.
A large map was at the mall where people could place stars indicating where the scouts were from.
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About Girl Scouts
Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Ga., what began with 18 girls has grown to 3.2 million Girl Scouts and 50 million alumnae in the United States.
Laura Crawford of Vienna Troop 379 said she enjoyed meeting the scouts from across the United States.
"All the scouts were happy to meet other scouts,'' she said.
Mara Turveu of Troop 179 in Howland said she liked the memorials and the ride on the Potomac River.
Lena Wallace of Vienna Troop 379 said she was able to exchange swaps with scouts from 10 to 12 different states. Scouts decorated their individual swaps, which they handed out. Swaps are little pins with an emblem or picture attached.
Melody Michetti of Troop 154 of Vienna said she received 50 swaps and said the one she liked was from Appalachia and had a small bag filled with coal. Another was made to look like a doughnut.
Anna Cristo of Vienna Troop 154 had 316 swaps, including one from an exchange student from Japan. "There were some really nice ones scouts made," she said.
Cristo said in addition to seeing other scouts she also met former scouts and camp counselors.
"It is fitting that the nation's capital will be the stage for Girl Scouts from around the world to come together to celebrate 100 years of girl leadership and empowerment," said Lidia Soto-Harmon, chief executive officer Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital. Each scout had to raise her own money for the trip through fundraising.