Cranston Girl Scouts storm Capitol Hill

Cranston Herald

May 20, 2010

All text and photos by: Jennifer Cowart

MOVING ON UP: Girl Scouts from every troop in Cranston were invited to attend the State House Day field trip on April 23. Over 100 girls were in attendance that day, many of whom came with their families.

On April 23, the Cranston Girl Scouts had the opportunity to tour the Rhode Island State House in Providence. Carol Chin and Nancy Gilheeney organized State House Day as a citywide scouting event.

Almost 200 scouts, leaders, parents and siblings arrived at the state’s capital bright and early that Friday morning. After going through security, they were split into three groups for tours of the building.

“It was extremely successful. It was actually the largest turnout of any of the program events we ran this year,” said Chin.

The tour guides took the girls through every area of the State House, including the Senate and House of Representatives. Along the way, they learned about the political process and also the history of the building itself.

“The paintings [by Gilbert Stuart] were a big hit with the kids, the ones where the eyes and the feet seem to follow you around the room,” said Troop 156 Brownie Leader, Barbara Valletta.

She saw a lot of enthusiasm from the group, even before they stepped inside the building.

“My girls were really looking forward to the field trip before we got there. None of them had been to the State House before and we were working on our ‘Proud to be a Citizen’ badge,” Valletta said.

After the tours, the Girl Scouts were treated to a pizza luncheon, courtesy of Representative Nicholas Mattiello, House Majority Leader.

Following lunch, a group photo was taken on the steps of the State House and the girls continued down to the memorial Garden of Heroes, which is located on the State House grounds. There, a memorial stone lists the names of all of the men and women of Rhode Island who have given their lives in the name of service to our country, since Sept. 11, 2001.

There are more than 20 names listed on the memorial there, including Marine Corps L/CPL Holly Charette and Coast Guard PS3 Ron A. Gill Jr., both of Cranston. Representatives from the Cranston Girl Scouts placed red, white and blue flowers on the memorial stone in honor of the fallen heroes.