BAR HARBOR — Over 600 Girl Scouts from all over Maine gathered at Acadia National Park on Oct. 1 for Expedition Acadia, according to Girl Scouts of Maine.

The event kicked off the 105th year of Girl Scouts, and was a year-long collaboration between Girl Scouts of Maine, Acadia National Park, and the National Park Service to help celebrate the centennial anniversaries of those organizations.

Girls and adults were able to explore all that Acadia has to offer, from hiking up Cadillac Mountain, to learning about search and rescue techniques on Long Pond, to climbing Otter Cliff.

“It was inspiring to see so many Girl Scouts from throughout Maine at Expedition Acadia — from daisies to ambassadors to adult volunteers,” said Samantha Lott Hale, program manager at Girl Scouts of Maine. “The girls’ excitement for new experiences outdoors with their friends — old and new — was a great reminder of the importance of Girl Scouting in girls’ lives.”

The event also allowed the Girl Scouts to participate in the Girl Scout Ranger program, a nationwide initiative between the Girl Scouts of the USA and the National Park Service. At the conclusion of the event, girls earned Girl Scout Ranger certificates. Over 100 girls stayed an additional day to help close down Acadia’s seawall campground, completing their community service requirement for the Girl Scout Ranger Badge.

Key speakers included Joanne Crepeau, CEO of Girl Scouts of ME; Lynne Dominy, Acadia National Park chief of interpretation; Kevin Schneider, Acadia National Park superintendent; and Anastasia Roy, park ranger.

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