While many kids their age lounge by a pool or sleep in during summer vacation, Bowdoinham’s Girl Scout Troop 721 will be embarking on the group’s first international trip — exploring and charting the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador.
The troop, consisting of six girls aged 13-15, have been out selling some delicious holiday treats, crafts and hosting lunches for the past few weekends to raise money to fund their trip.
Visitors browse crafts made by the Bowdoinham Girl Scout Troop as part of their fundraising initiative. Payal Gangishetti
“The girls are excited about this trip,” said Susan Saucier, the Bowdoinham’s Girl Scout Troop 721 leader. “We have done a lot of campaign trips and visited the Boston Science Museum in the past, which were an overnight trip, but the visit to the Galapagos Islands is kind of the next big step for us.”
Though Saucier is not sure about their departure date, she said it would be a nine-day trip.
“This trip is kind of a growth for the girls to go to different cultures and learn about them,” said Saucier. “They are intended to learn how to work hard to be able to earn something. Sometimes they also have service trips, where they might provide service for two days, but this is not one. This trip is culturally significant.”
During the trip, the girls will learn about the importance of the Charles Darwin Research Station, experience the diverse marine life, visit sea lions along the shore and explore twin craters and lava tunnels.
In addition, the troop will visit the regional market to learn about the traditional Andean culture.
“It is intimidating and exciting at the same time,” said Bowdoinham Girl Scout Troop member Evelyn Lagrange. “I am looking forward to learning more about other cultures and just seeing how nature is.”
The girl scout troop make a poster on their 2022 Galapagos Islands trip. Payal Gangishetti
The girls have raised nearly $7,000 so far. The cost of the trip is $4,600 per person. They also plan to organize bottle drives and car wash fundraisers in the spring.
Saucier said they might not be able to meet the entire trip expenditure through the fundraising activities, but there are scholarships available to scouts who might need them.
There are more than 7,500 girl scouts across Maine, according to the Girl Scouts of Maine website.
One in every three adult women in the United States were girl scouts at some point in their lives, according to a 2021 report by the Girl Scout Research Institute.
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