Girl Scouts travel the world with Concord troop

CONCORD — Whether venturing beyond their neighborhood as a young child or flying across the ocean to visit a foreign country, Girl Scouts broaden their view of the world through the many travel opportunities Girl Scouts provides.

One troop in Concord truly makes the most of these programs and is nicknamed the “travel troop.” Troop 20507 loves to explore the world, so they visited the Thousand Islands area of western New York in August, and in June spent 10 days in the Azores, an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic that is part of Portugal. Girl Scouts in this troop are from Concord, Penacook, Franklin, Loudon, Northwood, Boscawen, Bow, Contoocook, Chichester, Hopkinton, Pembroke, and Manchester.

In the Azores, they explored old buildings at Ponta Delgado, took surfing lessons, spent two full days touring the island with guides, went on glass-bottom boat and snorkel tours, met a local artist, went horseback riding, and tried the local cuisine.

The girls who did not travel to the Azores enjoyed a trip to the Thousand Islands, where they enjoyed a pirate festival, took a boat tour, explored Boldt Castle, went hiking and swimming in two state parks, danced at a concert, and enjoyed a museum of the area.

“Taking girls abroad, many for the first time, to see the beauty of the Azores and learn about its history and customs, while encouraging the girls to try new things... it's what Girl Scouts is about,” said Sheila Morris, one of the troop’s leaders.

The Girl Scouts paid for their trip through fall product and cookie sales. They also have a large yard sale every spring and take clothes to Savers, which pays by the pound, and the troop does holiday gift wrapping to raise funds.

They host “lots and lots of booths,” said Dr. Pat Edwards, another of the troop’s leaders, “and during COVID we delivered cookies to the hospital, nursing home staffs, and medical office staffs in lieu of cookie booths.

Girls 11 and older are eligible for the Destinations program, the ultimate adventure for older Girl Scouts who want to visit another state or country. Applications will open Sept. 20 for Destinations trips to 16 states and 15 countries in 2023/2024. Scholarships are available for travel, and participation the Girl Scout Cookie program also helps Girl Scouts fund their trips.

Girls of all ages are invited to find out more about the opportunities Girl Scouts offers, whether it’s travel, outdoor activities, troops, STEM, or just a new way to make new friends. At Girl Scouts, it’s all fun, no filter. See more at girlscoutsgwm.org.