The Conestoga River Girl Scouts will host an information night on Monday, Sept. 18, at Millersville Church, 3116 Blue Rock Road, Millersville. The event will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and it will include games, crafts and opportunities for girls to learn about the program from troop leaders and senior members of Girls Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania (GSHPA).

Current Girl Scouts and those who are interested in joining a troop are encouraged to bring a friend to the event, which the Conestoga River Girl Scouts is introducing this year to serve as an open house. The evening will be open to girls from kindergartners to high school seniors, and tables will be set up for each age group. At each table, participants will have a chance to speak with leaders of local troops and to learn about what being a Girl Scout entails. During the event, girls who wish to join a troop will be able to register, even if they live outside of the Conestoga River Girl Scouts' service area; members of the Conestoga River Girl Scouts primarily hail from the Penn Manor, Hempfield and Lancaster city areas.

One of Girl Scouting's main focuses is completing challenges to earn badges, which often require mastering a specific skill or finishing a difficult task. In addition to obtaining badges, members of the Conestoga River Girl Scouts work together to complete a community service project each year. This year, the Scouts will collect items to donate to the Pet Pantry of Lancaster County.

"As Girl Scouts, girls discover who they are, where their talents lie and what they care about," said Linda Davis, service unit lead for the Conestoga River Girl Scouts. "They get to make new friends and learn new skills, and there are so many ways to become involved in the community."

Davis has decades of experience working with Girl Scouts, first becoming a Scout nearly 60 years ago. She credits her years in the program with giving her an arsenal of skills that have continued to serve her throughout her life. Although Davis learned many hands-on skills, such as setting up a tent and building a fire, she said becoming a Girl Scout also helped prepare her for adulthood. Davis acquired keen leadership skills and the ability to forge strong friendships during her time as a Scout; she decided to remain active in the program after achieving the final rank. "It did so much for me growing up that I became a troop leader when I was 22 years old, and I've been in it ever since," Davis said.

Girl Scouts is always seeking volunteers in addition to new Scouts. For more information, visit http://www.gshpa.org.