Girl Scouts add pages to lists of achievements

Seven Senior Girl Scouts from the Midlands looked state government in the face this week.

The Scouts, all from the Congaree Council, and 15 others from across the state served as legislative pages through the 2004 Girl Scout Legislative Page Program. They spent the week at the State House and learned about the legislative process firsthand.

The Scouts met with Gov. Mark Sanford and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and also were acknowledged on the House and Senate floors.

The Legislative Page Program has been run by the Girl Scout Council of the Congaree Area Inc. since 1984. A shortage of funds had threatened to end the program, but through the efforts of Girl Scout volunteers like Kim Neel, Dianne Hammond and Shelly Langston, the program was able to continue.

“I think it’s important for girls to show an interest in local government, and the Legislative Page Program is the perfect opportunity for the girls to get an inside glimpse of the political process,” Neel said. “Who knows? Some of our Girl Scouts may become the next leaders of our state.”

Local participants in this year’s program were Susie Baker of Chapin, Emily Houston of Lexington, Susan Hughes of West Columbia, Katherine Stafford of Lexington, Amanda Neel of Columbia, Kathryn Rogers of Lexington and Jessica-Anne Stoudemire of Lexington.

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Ariance Gaulbourne got her wish.

The 17-year-old from Columbia was treated to a shopping spree.

Sixteen-year-old Elise Gillison still has designs on meeting singer T-Boz, while 14-year-old Kaye Hammond would love to shake hands with Travis Tritt one day.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Carolina wants to make more dreams like these come true. The organization grants wishes to children with life-threatening conditions.

Make-A-Wish’s Midlands Regional Team is seeking more volunteers to help grant wishes in the Midlands area. The next meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday at TruMatter, 717 Lady St., suite H, in the Vista community.

For more information, call Toni Sheridan at (803) 446-7187.

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Former students, teachers and administrators of the former Columbia Christian School will reunite soon for a special celebration of learning.

The school, which operated on Covenant Road from 1953 to 1986, will hold a reunion May 1 at Bethel Christian Camp on Boy Scout Road in Gaston.

Mary Alice Williams, former faculty member, said the event will celebrate 33 years of God’s faithfulness and will be a time of eating, playing and recounting the good old days.

All former staff members and students are invited to attend. There is a $5 charge for each family, and participants are being asked to bring a dish to share.

For more information, contact Williams at (803) 786-7022.

Reach Rantin at (803) 771-8306 or brantin@thestate.com