By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Nearly 150 Girl Scouts filled the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center on May 18 for a countywide sleepover and International Food Festival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts of the USA.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Camryn Curtis and Brianne Carr take a look at notable local women who were Girl Scouts when they were young. Event organizers created lists of famous Girl Scouts for the young ladies to view during the International Food Festival and sleepover, celebrating 100 years of Girl Scouts.
During the opening ceremonies, event organizer Theresa Dube mentioned how founder Juliette Gordon Low would be proud to see that Girl Scouts organization had come so far.
“She believed girls can do anything boys can do, and she was right,” Dube said.
The evening’s Opening Ceremonies began with the posting of the colors, followed by a parade of flags featuring the countries Scouts chose to represent during the International Food Festival. After the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, followed by the Girl Scout Promise, Caribou scouts sang, “We are the World,” by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. Some attendees even told Dube that the song brought tears to their eyes.
After the ceremony, Scouts made their way into the multi-purpose room at the rec center for the International Food Festival that lived up to its “festival” name. Scouts dined on cuisine from Italy, Mexico, China, Romania, Jamaica, Ireland, Sweden, Germany and, of course, the USA, getting stamps on their special passports for each country they visited.
Parent volunteers and troop leaders served unique cultural dishes from their represented countries to the Scouts as well as little trinkets from each nation. These “SWAP” trinkets (Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere) were often immediately fixed to the bucket hats each Scout was provided with.
The evening also included a campfire sing-a-long around a deceptively fake campfire, created by County Stove Shop for the indoor event.
The Scouts’ rendition of “We are the World” brought tears to the eyes of some audience members. Scout vocalists were: at the podium, Kelly Kashian. From left, front row: Kassy Belk, Krysta McLaughlan and Megan Ouellette. Second row: Rachel Davis, Hope Shea, Hannah White, Ashley Matlock, Jaelynn Doody, Searra Herbert, Haley Caron and Meaghan Ireland. Third row: JoJo Fields, Ashley Dube, Sierra Herbert, Kara Madore, Abby Parks, Sarah Levesque and, hidden from view, Paige O’Bar and Courtney Libby.
“I liked the campfire sing-a-long because everyone was so excited about it and they sang for a half hour straight,” Dube said, adding that the only reason the Scouts stopped singing was because the s’mores were ready.
The Scout-favorite aspect of the evening may very well have been the face painting provided by Nicole Spencer, co-leader of Troop 1092.
“Honestly, the girls loved everything, but I think face painting was the absolute hit,” Dube described. Between the ink-like paint and Spencer’s artistic skills, Scouts were repeat customers at the face-painting booth, which had Spencer painting from 9 p.m. until midnight.
“Kids were even getting their legs and arms painted,” Dube added.
Though official events concluded after the campfire sing-a-long at 10:30 p.m., Scouts were up all hours of the night enjoying the 100th anniversary celebration (thus making the “sleepover” aspect of the evening a bit of a misnomer).
“The Scouts were really excited to be a part or something so big,” Dube said, adding that even the littlest Scouts were cheery eyed and beaming with excitement even at odd hours of the early morning. “They understood the significance of the event, and so did the adults.”
Dube had mentioned in her opening ceremony speech that an event like this only happened once a lifetime, and Scouts spent every minute enjoying celebration.
Event organizers had even adorned a wall in the main hallway with lists and photos featuring famous Scouts — even local celebrities.
Contributed photo by Wendy Burtchell
Girl Scouts gathered around the fake fire pit during the International Food Festival and sleepover on May 18 at the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts.
“They like seeing all the famous women that were Girl Scouts, and they liked seeing pictures of their teachers up on the wall, too,” Dube said.
While sleepovers are known for their silliness and fun, the youngsters also exuded many attributes Scouting promotes during the night-long event.
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| Aroostook Republican photos/Natalie Bazinet Kassy Belk and Cassy Caron carried the Girl Scout banner during the Opening Ceremony of the Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary Celebration on May 18, featuring an International Food Festival and sleepover. |
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| From left, Hope Shea, Peyton Lindsey, Searra Herbert and Kara Madore pick up their bucket hats for the evening. The bucket hats were important to the event, as that’s where the Scouts affixed their SWAP items they received from each country participating in the International Food Festival. |
“It was nice to see the older girls helping out the younger girls, and it was nice to see the little girls put smiles on the older girls’ faces,” said Girl Scouts of Maine Membership Manager of Aroostook County Wendy Burtchell. “It’s a good reminder for the older girls as to why they first started with Girl Scouts when they were little.”
In keeping with the spirit of “make new friends but keep the old,” ladies from different Aroostook troops commingled throughout the evening and enjoyed each other’s company.
“The evening went so well,” Dube added.
She and other leaders of the Diamond Service Unit (including the Greater Caribou Caribou, Limestone, Van Buren and Fort Fairfield areas) began planning the 100th anniversary celebration last September. This was the first International Food Festival they’ve done in three years, and the event was deemed a celebration by attendees.
“Interest in Scouting is definitely growing, even in the older girls,” Dube explained, mentioning that a huge number of the Diamond Service Units’ Scouts are from Teague Park and the Caribou Middle School.
Interest in Scouting even exceeds the amount of leaders, and dozens of girls are stuck on a waiting list until a new troop opens up.
“We could have so many more Girl Scouts if we had more leaders,” Dube mentioned – a leader of multiple troops herself.
The next big Scouting event is a Highlighter Dance fundraiser on June 1, open to fifth- through eighth-graders from Caribou, Woodland and New Sweden.
The black-light Highlighter Dance will be held in the multi-purpose room and the gymnasium will be split in two to accommodate usage of the rec’s large inflatable obstacle courses and dodge ball games.
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| Courtney Harding of Troop 1137 prepares to try some Romanian food. | Girl Scout Isabelle Levesque tries Jamaican food during the International Food Festival on May 18. |
