Brooksbye Girl Scout Troops 9 and 272 adopted a deployed platoon this holiday season. The platoon has 53 Marines in it. The troops, with help from Troop 431, 726, & 1726, filled 53 stockings to send to the soldiers for the holidays. The 5 troops shipped the stockings to the platoon and hope they have safe and Happy Holidays!

53 Stockings created and sent to overseas platoon by girls in Brooksbye troops 9 and 272

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Junior Girl Scout Troop 439 of Andover shared
holiday cheer with residents at Academy Manor in Andover in December. The girls planned the outing themselves, eager to continue an activity that they
began as 1st graders. Each year for four years, the troop has made gifts and taken them to Academy Manor where the girls have sung Christmas and
Hanukkah songs. In previous years the girls painted sleds, made bookmarks and created frames for the residents. This year the girls chose to make stockings. In planning for the meeting the girls contacted the residence to arrange a convenient date to visit, decided what gift to bring and practiced singing holiday songs. This year the girls devoted one meeting to decorating and sewing stockings for residents. In a following meeting, the stockings were filled with treasures like warm, colorful socks, Chapstick, Kleenex, Vaseline moisturizer and toothbrushes.

Troop 439 at Academy Manor in Andover

After delivering the stockings, the troop was led through the halls of the residence singing Christmas carols and Hanukkah tunes. Along the way the troop caroled in common rooms much to the delight of the residents. One
resident so enjoyed the music that she joined right in with the parade, following the girls and singing along as the troop traversed the corridors. Residents and girls alike enjoyed a joyous afternoon!

The girls look forward to this annual troop tradition each December. Through the years not only has the strength of their singing increased, but they have become more interactive with the residents, greeting and reaching out to residents as they traversed the corridors. In addition, each year they have increased the amount of responsibility they have taken on for planning and delivering this wonderful community outreach. This has been a great project for the girls for 4 years and counting.

The girls in Pepperell Girl Scout Troop 146 recently earned their Bronze Award. For their service project they chose to take part in the ABC Quilt non- profit program of making quilts for at- risk babies. Babies who are born with the HIV/Aids virus or of drug or alcohol addicted mothers.
The girls designed the quilts, cut out the fabric and did all the sewing and tying of the quilts. The troop received fabric and batting donations from the Squannacook Quilt Guild as well as individual help from member, Karen Hoyt.

Troop leaders Kathy Batchelder and Laura Dows kept the girls focused and inspired with encouragement each week. Troop 146 received their Bronze Awards, April 24th at the Pepperell Neighborhood Award Ceremony.

The girls of troop 146 are very proud of the quilts and would love for the community to view them. The ABC Quilts will be on display in the Children’s Room at the Pepperell Lawrence Library from May 16th-May 20th.

Tire Warehouse has just completed the first year of its "Round Up" program. In this program, customers are asked to "round up" their purchases, and the proceeds are distributed to worthy organizations throughout New England. In March, Tire Warehouse of Haverhill donated a portion of the proceeds of this program to the Girl Scouts of Spar and Spindle Council.

Pictured: Melanie Jordan, Director of Developement and Communications for the Council accepts a check from Clem Cote, General Manager of Tire Warehouse in Haverhill while Brownie Troop #526 of Bradford helps say thanks.

On a rainy weekend this fall, Junior Troop 2013 of
Pepperell joined several troops from the Nashoba
Neighborhood for the "Unearthly Discoveries"
Encampment, planned by Karen Gallo and her Littleton
troop. It took place at Camp Maude Eaton in Andover
October 1-3, 2004.

The main attraction for our girls, beside the delights
of s'mores and soggy tents, was the opportunity to
participate in the "Flying Squirrel" program.

The rain held off while the girls learned how to step into their harnesses, the best technique for pulling their troop-mates into the air, and all the rules needed to "fly" safely. One by one they donned their harness and helmets, mounted the platform and shouted "Ready to fly!" At that signal, eight girls, plus a leader for an "anchor" took off running up a small hill like a pack of huskies holding onto the rope. As they pulled, the rope grew taut and through a system
of pullies lifted their troop-mate off the ground, and spun them through the air. What could be more fun! Very carefully, the girls pulling slowly walked back down the hill to bring the "flying squirrel" back down to earth. Just as the last girl took off her harness, it started to drizzle.

During this program the girls learned to listen to each other, work as a team, and how to be safe while using ropes.

Troop 2013 would recommend the "Flying Squirrel" program to any troop with a sense of adventure! We would also like to thank the great facilitators who truly made our flying experience worthwhile.