Girl Scouts quartet ready for trip south of the border

KINGSTON — Four Kingston High School students to be will get a first class lesson in Español in a few days.

Girl Scouts Troop 803, consisting of Erika Rabura, Rachel Burk, Chelsea Wilson and Kendra Gottschalk will leave the comforts of their Kingston homes for an adventure in Mexico from July 9-20. The Scouts will spend their first three days in Mexico City before traveling 47 miles south to Cuernavaca, where they will stay for the remainder of their trip. Chaperones accompanying them during their journey include Tammie Rabura, Jodi Wilson, Sue Burk and Karen Moore.

“The girls like to travel,” Erika Rabura’s mother Tammie said. “They decided they wanted to go somewhere. The question was, where do they want to go? They thought about going to India (too expensive), but instead decided to sign up for a trip to Mexico in July of 2006.”

The special bond shared between the quartet dates back to 2000, the year they joined the Scouts together as third graders.

“I am excited about going. It will be something cool to experience with my friends,” Erika Rabura said. “It’s exciting to be with your friends while you’re experiencing something like this.”

She can’t believe the trip to Mexico starts Monday.

“It’s kind of weird,” she said. “We leave in less than a week. It snuck up on me pretty fast. We’re actually going. I am really excited.”

During their 11-day stay, Troop 803 will get an opportunity to assimilate into Mexico’s everyday culture.

“They’re going to work with the community and make dictionaries, bookmarks, and other sorts of items,” Tammie Rabura said. “They’re going to Mexico because they want to help make a difference and develop their leadership skills. They will be spending time with the locals and will go on tours led by them.”

The trip is a dream come true for Troop 803 members.

“Seeing another part of the world is important part of what (Troop 803) wanted to do,” Tammie Rabura said. “They’re dedicated to trying to help make the world a better place.”

In the past 12 months, each Scout diligently raised $5,000 for their trip.

The fund-raising efforts were constant.

“It’s been fun, but has been challenging at the same time,” Erika Rabura said. “We had to keep on promoting ourselves. We had a lot of fun with it.”

Troop 803 hosted garage sales, cookie sales, four car washes, chocolate roses sales and held fund raisers at Central Market to come up with the needed funds for their trip. Vinland Community Church also is a sponsor of Troop 803.

“It’s incredible. It’s so neat to see them do what they did. They truly earned their trip,” Tammie Rabura said. “They know how much work it takes to get where they want to go. They’re developing leadership skills. That’s what Girls Scouts is all about, developing woman leaders.”

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