Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” The program team has really taken this quote to heart as we plan out the next stages of GSHNJ’s travel pathway. There are so many opportunities for girls (and adults!) to flex their travel muscles and embark on exciting journeys. Our goal is to offer trips of all different lengths, at various price points, and for girls of all ages!
Coming up this spring and summer--and already open for registration--are two animal-themed domestic trips. First up, for Daisies through Cadettes, we’re going to take a day trip up to the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary in High Falls, New York. Here, we’ll have the chance to meet all of the animal residents who have been rescued by the Sanctuary’s dedicated staff. Then, in July, we take a longer trip for Brownies through Ambassadors down to the beautiful Eastern Shore of Virginia for Chincoteague Island’s 91st Annual Pony Swim. This specific herd of wild ponies has lived on the neighboring island of Assateague since the 1600’s and, once a year, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company helps the ponies swim across the narrow body of water between the two islands. This is a huge event on the small island and the week is filled with celebrations such as the Pony Carnival, which GSHNJ will be attending while we’re down there!
In addition to the ponies, Assateague Island is also home to the Assateague Island National Seashore, which is a part of the National Parks Service. The National Seashore Education Center provides all sorts of fun ways to explore the rich natural habitat of the island.
Looking ahead to 2017, we have two very exciting trips planned; one domestic and our first international excursion! In June 2017, girls who are Juniors and older at the time of the trip can join us for an awesome five-day jaunt to Florida. We’ll be based out of Orlando, so visits to Disney and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ will be top of the list. Our trip to Disney will even include a special behind-the-scenes program as we look at the history of some of Disney’s most famous animations. The fun doesn’t stop there though, as the trip will also include a visit to Crystal River to snorkel with manatees and an exciting tour and program at the Kennedy Space Center.
For girls who will be Cadettes or older at the time of the trip, we are thrilled to be planning an international adventure to London, Paris, and Switzerland also in June of 2017. While on this eleven-day trip, GSHNJ travelers will see all the big tourist sites in London, Paris, and Lucerne, (Big Ben! The Louvre! Chapel Bridge! Notre Dame! Westminster Abbey!) and will visit two of the WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) World Centers; Pax Lodge in England and Our Chalet in Switzerland. The trip will also include fun activities like a cruise down the Thames River and a walking tour of Paris’ Latin Quarter. This exciting, fast-paced tour is a great way to experience the best of what these three major European cities have to offer!
Don’t miss out on the other travel opportunity that is available for girls ages 11-17--the Destinations program run by GSUSA. Destinations are trips that girls take completely by themselves and can range anywhere from three days to three weeks! These trips are sponsored by Girl Scout Councils around the country (there are even international options!) and can be anything from a theatre program in Oregon to a surf camp in Florida to a panda conservation effort in China! There’s something for girls of all interests and levels of bravery.
One of GSHNJ’s Destinations travelers from last year said, “This is a trip that I will never forget.” Girls can apply for up to four trips per year and the second round of applications is due to GSHNJ by February 15, 2016. There may also be some scholarships available!
Want to learn more about travel opportunities? We offer free Travel Opportunities Webinars that discuss all of these trips in more detail and can answer any questions that you have. Our next session is coming up on March 21st. Registering is easy. Head to our website (www.gshnj.org), click on our Programs & Events tab and then click on Event List, use our keyword search and type in "Travel." All of the Travel Opportunities should populate--pick the date that works best for you and register!
We hope that you join us for one or more of these exciting trips and decide to live a “daring adventure!"
No comments:
Post a Comment