Several members of a Lehighton Girl Scout troop recently took a trip to their founder’s birthplace.

Girl Scout Troop 3801 of Lehighton took a tour of Girl Scout Headquarters in Savannah, Georgia.

Five girls went on the trip with four adults, according to troop leader Theresa Chapman.

Chapman leads the troop, along with co-leader Angelia Stec.

She said Savannah, Georgia, is the birthplace of Girl Scouts.

The founder, Juliette Gordon Low, began the Scouts in 1912, Chapman said.

Chapman noted that Low has many famous quotes with this phone call being the most popular: “Come right over. I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all America, and all the world, and we’re going to start it tonight.”

“Many troops make a trip to pay respects to the founder at her home, headquarters, and even stop at the cemetery she is buried at,” Chapman said. “It is a great opportunity to get the Scouts’ feet wet in traveling from home while staying within the U.S.”

Chapman said the Scouts had the idea before COVID, and “we were finally able to start the process in May 2022,” she said.

They left from Lehigh Valley International Airport on June 19 and returned late on June 22.

Chapman said the girls sold cookies to help offset the cost of the trip by about 50%.

“Scouts were able to use money from their cookie sale over the last couple years, their fall Nuts and Candy Sale, along with donations from their family and friends to help offset the cost for the trip,” she said.

Chapman said they used EF Tours, and the Scouts learned about the history of Girl Scouts, The Railroad, Savannah, Tybee Island Lighthouse, and so forth.

“Not only did they learn about Savannah, they also met up with troops from Texas and Oklahoma that were part of our tour group,” she said. “The Scouts made some new friendships with their fellow Girl Scout sisters, and did not let the on and off rain stop the adventure.”