Arlington Girl Scout troop hosts fundraising barn dance
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, November 15, 2016
SILVANA — Music could be heard through the open white doors of the big red barn.
Outside, the sunset painted the clouds purple. Inside, there were games, snacks, face painting, a photo booth and a dimly lit dance floor.
About 40 people came to a barn dance and game night earlier this month on a dead-end road just off of Highway 530.
The event was put together by a Girl Scouts of America troop based in Arlington. They’ve organized multiple dances in the area over the past few years, including a winter ball and line dancing for beginners. On Nov. 3, they gathered in a barn that had been remodeled into a wedding venue and decorated with pumpkins and scarecrows.
Line dancing was on the agenda, though few people braved the dance floor. Most guests spent their time with games and crafts. Many wore their Halloween costumes or donned cowboy boots and hats.
There are 28 girls from 4th to 11th grade in Troop 42168, the masterminds behind the dance.
“I have a lot of adventurous girls,” troop leader Elise Simbeck said.
They raise money and make plans to go kayaking, hiking, camping and ziplining. For their ultimate adventure, the scouts in high school are raising money for a trip to Europe. The barn dance was one of the fundraisers. They’ve also held bake sales and put on a bike rodeo to teach young children about bicycle safety.
“The things that we’re doing either are a service to the community, like the bike rodeo, or my girls learn something, like baking different things,” Simbeck said.
Already, the Scouts are planning more events. They want to have another bike rodeo, a fashion show and a masquerade ball next fall.
Stilly Brook Farm donated the venue for the barn dance, with the troop responsible only for utilities. The generosity of the community makes the Girl Scouts’ projects possible, Simbeck said.
Dayanara Heaton, 15, has been a Girl Scout since first grade. She’s a high school sophomore now. She does monthly service projects with her troop along with helping coordinate events and fundraisers.
“I get to feel like part of the community,” she said. “I get to meet all sorts of new people.”
During the dance, she oversaw a photo booth where people held up a large fake “Wanted” poster that framed their faces and torsos. It promised a $20,000 reward, citing disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Families smiled in the frame and friends in Halloween costumes made goofy faces for the camera.
Just after it got dark outside, a few families gathered in the middle of the carpeted dance floor. Colorful lights spun on the ceiling. A song called “Funky Cowboy” came over the speakers. They danced.
Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com
