Twelve girls are learning cooperation, community service and responsibility while having fun under the supervision of Penny Dean, troop leader of Brownie Girl Scout Troop 1220. The group meets at Trinity Episcopal Church on Washington Avenue each Monday evening from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and is currently looking for new members.
“The girls like when new girls come in,” said Dean.
The Brownie Girl Scout Troop keeps busy throughout the year fundraising both for charities and to support the activities of the group.
“They have a list a mile long,” explained Dean of all the activities the girls participate in. “They go ice-skating, we book a room at the Ramada and go swimming for an overnight thing, they go bowling, they love doing parades, they go Christmas caroling at Epworth Manor, go to the movies, and go camping-that’s our big thing.”
The girls also raise money for Christmas Carol, a project for those in need during the holidays by having a bake sale at Farm City Day. They sell magazine and nuts and are scheduled to sell cookies at the Tyrone BiLo on March 10. Currently, the troop is bringing in baby items for the Tyrone Hospital maternity ward.
“Later on in the year, we’re going to gather items for the Humane Society,” added Dean.
The troop meets on Monday evenings for fellowship and learning experiences. It is a way for girls to have fun, make new friends, learn important facts and serve the community.
There are two types of patches the girls can earn. For projects during Monday meetings, they can earn patches called try-its, which are shaped in a triangle. Projects like writing an autobiography or learning about animals are what earns the try-it patches.
Projects that take place outside of meeting nights are what earns the second type of badge called a fun patch. The troop usually schedules its fun activities like camping and swimming on a Saturday, and the girls can receive a fun patch for these events. Also the girls can receive fun patches for activities like participating in the Christmas and Halloween parades and going Christmas caroling.
“I hope they learn to get along, to be fair, manners, to make friends, how to give instead of receive, and what the community is doing,” said Dean.
This is the third year that Dean is the troop leader for Brownie Girl Scout Troop 1220, and she is always looking for new members. The age for girls to participate in the troop is first through third grade. For more information, contact her at 632-5363.
“I have fun doing it. I really enjoy the girls,” she said.
