RANKIN INLET - Members of the Girl Guides of Canada movement in Rankin Inlet gathered at Leo Ussak elementary school to celebrate World Thinking Day on Feb. 22.

The annual event is held for Girl Guides and Scouts around the world to celebrate the joint birthdays of program founders Lord and Lady Baden-Powell.

The day also reminds Guiders that they are members of a global organization for girls and women, and gets them to think about their sisters in other parts of the world.

The theme for this year's World Thinking Day was Discover Your Potential, which encourages Guiders to take the lead, grow friendships and speak out.

The three aims allow Guiders to develop leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment, build their self-esteem and take action on issues that affect them.

Guides Guider Carla Punshon said there are about 70 girls involved in the Rankin program.

She said the Rankin Guiders are working on a special project this year called the Dominica Twinning Challenge.

"Dominica is a small island in the east Caribbean that's made out of volcano, so not too many people go there because it has no beaches or resorts," said Punshon.

"It's a relatively poor country that Canada just started a three-year project with.

"The Girl Guides of Canada will be supporting them financially, as well as with numerous other resources, to help build their Guiding program.

"On World Thinking Day, our girls learned a little about their sister Guides who live there."

A toonie for twinning is a part of the program that encourages each girl to donate $2 to Dominica.

The money will help buy uniforms or craft supplies for Guides in that country.

Phase two will start in 2008, when the Girl Guides of Canada will adopt a unit and exchange cards and crafts with the Dominica girls to foster personal contact with them.

Punshon said although the Guiding program has existed in Dominica for about 80 years, it still needs help to survive and flourish.

"It's much harder to establish the infrastructure poorer countries need to build a successful and continuous program, as well as maintain a strong membership in the 144-country World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

"Dominica is an associate member, but it's trying to gain full-membership status in 2008.

"Canada is trying to provide the assistance to get them there."