In early June, nine members of Rye Cadette Girl Scout Troop 2282 and seven members of Resurrection Girl Scout Troop 1909 traveled to Washington, D.C. for “Rock the Mall,” Girl Scouting’s 100th Anniversary Sing-a-Long on the National Mall.

In early June, nine members of Rye Cadette Girl Scout Troop 2282 and seven members of Resurrection Girl Scout Troop 1909 traveled to Washington, D.C. for “Rock the Mall,” Girl Scouting’s 100th Anniversary Sing-a-Long on the National Mall.

 

In the largest gathering of Girl Scouts to date, over 250,000 Girl Scouts and their supporters from all 50 states and Japan celebrated the centennial. The Scouts participated in a world-record flash mob dancing to an original song, “Ignite”, written for the occasion. Three stages with accompanying big screens were set up around the base of the Washington Monument. 

 

Troop 2282 traveled by Amtrak and Metro, stayed in a George Washington University dorm, and saw the sights by foot and trolley. They visited the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam memorials, the U.S. Capitol, the Library of Congress, and the National Zoo, and saw the special exhibit on Girl Scouting at the Smithsonian.

 

All of Troop 2282 would like to give a big thanks to former Scouts Juliann Groglio and Jane Burdick, the Congressional Office of Representative Nita Lowey, Arlene Lewis, Jerry Lindrew, Planet Pizza, Rye Recreation, and Longford’s Ice Cream.

 

Troop 1909 members Kira Bigelow, Emily Coster, Anne-Marie Dillon, Rachel Impastato, Nora Murphy, Emma Smith, and Mackenzie Smith, were able to explore the nation’s capitol over three days, meeting fellow Girl Scouts at every turn. “Seeing all these people there was incredible!” said Kira Bigelow. Rachel Impastato added, “It was great high fiving the other scouts we met wherever we went and feeling friendship.”

 

Their favorite event was a nighttime trolley tour of all the monuments, in which all of them saw the Martin Luther King Jr. monument for the first time.

 

The trip was the result of almost two years of planning and fundraising by Troop 1909, which is led by Victoria Dillon and Sue Smith. Many service projects were completed during that time to help the community of Rye and the senior residents of The Osborn.

 

“It feels good to know we’ve helped make the world a better place,” said Anne-Marie Dillon.