{"id":9,"date":"2013-04-11T20:04:34","date_gmt":"2013-04-11T20:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gssunnytrails.com\/travel\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2013-04-11T23:51:26","modified_gmt":"2013-04-11T23:51:26","slug":"visit-boston","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gssunnytrails.com\/travel\/visit-boston\/","title":{"rendered":"Visit Boston"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/a>As girls get older they really love to travel and see other parts of the country and world. Planning a trip with a Girl Scout troop is wonderful because the girls get an opportunity to do so much more than they would with a trip offered through the school. They get to budget, fundraise, plan, learn about the places they\u2019re going to visit, organize and make compromises. I honestly think it\u2019s one of the most useful experiences you can give them in high school!<\/p>\n

This page is going to take you through the planning, budgeting and fundraising process that my ambassador troop #5152 followed from July 2010 to July 2011 to take a trip to Boston, to walk the freedom trail, see some colleges, do some sight seeing and then go up to Maine, where we volunteered at Camp Sunshine, a camp for children with life threatening diseases and their families. \u00a0If you would like to see how it\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0turned out, you can read about it and see some of our photos on the blog that we kept during the trip:http:\/\/girlscouttroop5152.tumblr.com\/page\/8<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Purpose of trip:\u00a0<\/strong>Ambassador Troop #5152 is planning to volunteer at Camp Sunshine on Lake Sebago in Maine this summer. Camp Sunshine is a camp for children with life threatening diseases. July 3-8 we will be serving children with brain tumors. We will also take a few days before camp to explore the great city of Boston and visit some colleges. This trip marks a celebration of 12 years in Girl Scouts together. We\u2019re going to combine service and exploration and have FUN!<\/p>\n

Planning:<\/strong>\u00a0The troop has been planning and dreaming and saving for this trip for the past few years, ever since middle school when we bridged to Cadettes in San Francisco.\u00a0 The destination has changed several times but the goal was always the same. Work hard to earn silver and gold awards, get community service hours to put toward college and then celebrate by traveling again together. The girls have brainstormed and researched about the places that we\u2019re planning to go. We\u2019ve earned money each year to put toward the trip by leading a Songfest each year and doing workshops on Bridging in San Francisco for younger girls and selling cookies. We\u2019re still refining the plans for this trip as our money earning projects this spring add to the budget but we\u2019ve saved enough to pay for all the transportation and basics. Whatever we continue to earn will go toward some of the optional things we\u2019d like to do.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Progression:\u00a0<\/strong>Troop 5152 has been together with the same leadership since kindergarten. We have grown in courage and confidence together. We had our first campout in tents in my backyard and now my girls lead encampments. We\u2019ve traveled all over the county and up to San Francisco and to Los Angeles. We\u2019ve been on buses, trains, horses, autos, ferries, bikes and airplanes. They\u2019re great at reading maps and at decoding public transportation. We stayed in a hostel in San Francisco and we\u2019ve arranged to stay with a host family in Boston.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Planning timeline<\/strong>:
\nSpring 2008\u00a0 Filed Activity Approval with VSC \u00a0Julie \u2013 intention to travel summer 2011
\nSpring 2009\u00a0 Troop took World Travel 101
\nJuly 2010 Contacted Camp Sunshine about volunteering summer 2011
\nJuly 2011 Troop developed tentative itinerary and budget
\nAugust 2010\u00a0 Filed another Activity Approval with Kirsten Kessler & VSC Mia destination Camp Sunshine
\nAugust 2010\u00a0 Parent Meeting to save the date & general trip info,
\nSeptember 2010 Led Sunnytrails Songfest
\n\"\"<\/a>September 2010 Secured host family in Boston, (my dear college friend and a cousin who are both willing to let us stay at their houses)
\nSeptember 2010 Troop continuing to research and refine itinerary & travel plans
\nOctober 2010 Wrote & sold cookbook based on encampment\u00a0Outdoor Gourmet
\nOctober 2010 Participated in nut sale
\nNovember 2010 Turned in camp applications
\nNovember 2010 Troop wrote letter to Plimoth Plantations (11\/20)
\n\"\"<\/a>December 2010 Caroling for Eastlake Shopping Center
\nJanuary 2011 Troop refined itinerary and budget based on plans
\nJanuary 2011 Parent Meeting to go over planned itinerary and budget, get legal names and birthdays for making flight reservations parents paid $100 each toward trip
\nFebruary 2011 Participated in cookie sale
\nFebruary 2011 Camp acceptance and finalized dates of our session
\nFebruary 2011 Gave presentation to Rotary Club Chula Vista
\nMarch 2011 Sent Sandy Sultz Activity Approval and info
\nMarch 2011 Ran a troop garage sale
\nMarch 2011 Purchased airline tickets
\nMarch 2011 Made rental car reservation
\nMarch 2011 Purchased additional trip insurance from council
\n\"\"<\/a>March 2011 Make safety and risk management plan, Get Transporting Girl Scouts and Accident\u00a0 form
\nMarch 2011 order 9 x 7 day MTA passes
\nApril 2011 Make\u00a0Emergency Contact List<\/em>(In-town Contact #s, AC phone #, lodging numbers)
\nApril 2011 Make\u00a0Contacts List for Leaders<\/em>(emergency numbers at destination \u2013 police, fire, hospital, roadside service numbers AAA, auto insurance #s, travel arrangement phone numbers bus, airline, camp numbers, council emergency numbers pg 17 of Let\u2019s\u00a0 Go)
\nApril 2011 got maps from AAA of Boston and Maine
\nApril 3, 2011 Troop Meeting collect signed permission slips, girl and adult health histories\/camp health forms, permission to give medication and confirmations, work on itinerary, sports day and encampment plans,
\n\"\"<\/a>April 2011 Make\u00a0In-Town Contact list<\/em>\u00a0(all girl and parent names + all phone #s, emergency contacts + phone #s) AND put all the lists together for AC, In-town contact and leaders
\nApril 2011 Send copies of permission, transportation plans, health histories, safety risk management plan, detailed itinerary, proof of insurance to Activity Consultant Sandy and to In-Town Contact Monica
\nMay 2011 Contact the Janet at Plimoth Plantation confirm our plans
\nMay 2011 Figure out how we want to post updates on tumbler bloghttp:\/\/girlscouttroop5152.tumblr.com\/page\/8<\/a>
\n\"\"<\/a>May 2011 make college tour reservations at Harvard, MIT, Boston College
\nMay 2011 Sold 8 more cookbooks at Chili Cook off
\nJune 3-5 2011 Run Brownie Daisy Encampment and cook all meals
\nJune 6 2011 go over safety, meals and\u00a0Camp Sunshine Packing List<\/a>\u00a0(pg 16 Let\u2019s go) with the girls. Packed a \u201cdemonstration carry on suitcase\u201d
\nJune 6th<\/sup>\u00a02011 family trip orientation: firm up drivers to and from airport (Tracy, Monica and Bob) laminated emergency cards, packing list, itinerary, emergency contact list on excel, Tumbler info, sign photo release for plimoth and girl scout registrations, t-shirt check, , Give Monica in-town contact list.
\nJune 2011 Contact Rotary Club about sharing photos on July 15 when we come back
\nJune 2011 make checkbook register to keep track of expenses
\n\"\"<\/a>June 2011 Check and Print\u00a0EmergencyCards for the Girls<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 (leaders cell #s, troop cell numbers, in-town contact, lodging numbers, general itinerary) laminate
\nJune 2011 Get updated red cross certificates for lifeguards Lizzie and Carolyn scanned
\nJune 2011 Make plans with Haley\u2019s friend for pick up and contact
\nJune 2011 Make packet for other adults with: Itinerary, emergency numbers, accident report, emergency procedures
\nJune 2011 make leader tool kit: permission & health packets for all, accident report, emergency contact numbers, emergency procedures, reservations & confirmation numbers, permission for medication, , lifeguard letters, tumbler info, safety mgmt
\nRecipes, grocery list, brochures, maps and books
\n\"\"<\/a>June 2011 Make sure we have girl scout t-shirts for all of the girls to wear
\nJune 2011 check on additional car insurance\/check rental car coverage
\nJune 2011 Put together first aid kit and \u201cfix it\u201d kit with safety pins, needle and thread, scissors, pen and paper, trash bags & zip bags, handi wipes, duct tape,
\nJune 2011 take out a little cash for the trip and some change for tips, toll roads and lunches
\nJune 2011 Print final itinerary,\u00a0walking tours, ipod tours\u00a0and budget sheet,
\nJune 2011 send final itinerary to Sandy, share tumbler address
\n\"\"<\/a>June 26 2011 3-5 Go to Gold Award Ceremony together and to Kerry\u2019s House for celebration party!
\nJune 2011 make sure camera, ipod and phone are charged. Clear memory of camera & phone camera
\nJune 2011 pack up in 2 carry-on bags
\nJune 27 2011 Fly to Boston
\nJuly 3-8 2011 Camp Sunshine
\nJuly 8 2011 fly home to San Diego
\nJuly 2011 collect photos from the girls
\nJuly 2011 make scrapbooks of our trip
\nJuly 2011 Evaluate and debrief with girls and families
\nJuly 15th 2011 Friday lunch meeting, Give presentation to Rotary Club about trip
\nJuly 2011 Post info about the trip on the website
\nJuly 2011 Complete Let\u2019s Go budget worksheet for 11-12 financial report<\/p>\n

Itinerary<\/strong><\/p>\n

Carol\u2019s house 6\/28-7\/1, Mary\u2019s house 7\/1-7\/3, Camp Sunshine 7\/3-7\/8<\/strong><\/p>\n

Look for information and photos from our trip on URLhttp:\/\/girlscouttroop5152.tumblr.com\/page\/8<\/a><\/p>\n

Each girl in the troop took a different part of the journey to research and plan. They looked at maps and guide books, read restaurant reviews and got prices on everything so that we could make adjustments while on the trip if we needed to. They were excellent tour guides!<\/p>\n

(High Tech last day June 22, Gold Award Ceremony June 26 3-5pm then dinner at Shannon\u2019s house, print boarding passes)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Monday June 27th<\/sup><\/strong>\u00a010:45 pm<\/em>, Meet at Casillas at 7:30pm to load bags and drive to the airport, (Monica, Tracy and Bob drive) leave San Diego on the overnight flights United 300 and 354 $3735.20 RT (purchased 3\/09\/11)\u00a0 Insurance $77 through girl scouts (purchased 3\/17\/11)<\/p>\n

Tuesday June28th<\/strong>\u00a09:10 am\u00a0<\/em>arrive Boston.<\/p>\n

rent our car\/van: ($164 from Thrifty FFPX1R, holds 5 and 5 suitcases) & gas $100 (reserved 6\/12\/11) Carol will drive 5 in her car. Look up\u00a0maps.troop5152@gmail.com<\/a>\u00a0on Carolyn\u2019s iphone to access all the maps for driving.<\/p>\n