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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Two Fort Simpson teenagers are working toward travelling to New York City and earning an award offered by the Girl Guides of Canada.

Girl Guides of Canada Rangers Reannda Cli, left, and Maeve Dempsey held a fundraising Easter bake sale in Fort Simpson on March 29. The teens are working toward taking a trip to New York. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Maeve Dempsey and Reannda Cli, both 16, were volunteering with the local Sparks and Brownie groups when Heather Jennings-Brown, the district commissioner for the Girl Guides of Canada in Fort Simpson, asked them if they'd like to join their own Girl Guides of Canada program. The teens are now the first two members of the Fort Simpson Rangers, a program based on leadership and community involvement for young women aged 15 to 17.

In addition to participating in the Ranger program, Cli and Dempsey have committed to trying to earn the gold level of the Chief Commissioner's Award. It is the highest award youth members in Girl Guides of Canada can receive.

To earn the award the Rangers will have to complete 18 challenges including at least one each from eight program areas. The areas explore topics such as community involvement, global awareness, the environment, healthy living and leadership.

The girls will have to demonstrate they have an understanding of guiding, have an awareness of issues affecting their community and the world as a whole, and have developed their personal skills, stated Jennings-Brown in an e-mail.

They will also have to show they can plan and attend their own camps and teach younger members about the environment and camping.

To earn the gold level of the award the Rangers will also have to complete a service project that will benefit their community.

Cli and Dempsey will have their two years as Rangers to complete the requirements. Adding to the difficulty level of the their task, the pair have chosen a challenge that requires them to set up an exchange with another Ranger group.

The girls plan to travel to New York City in July 2014 to meet with some American Girl Scout counterparts and tour the city with them. In addition to seeing sites such as Central Park, Times Square and the Statue of Liberty, the girls plan to take in an opera, musical or dance, which will take care of an additional challenge – exploring your creativity.

"We're looking forward to it," Cli said. "It's basically Broadway that we're excited about."

In order to make the trip possible the Rangers already have a year and a half of fundraising activities planned.

The duo started with a bake sale for Valentine's Day that netted them approximately $480. They held a second bake sale on March 29 just in time for Easter.

Other planned events include more bake sales, a spaghetti diner and a draw for a gift basket on Mother's Day.

The reputation of the Chief Commissioner's Award is what drew the Rangers to the challenge.

"You can put it on resumes and university applications," Dempsey said.

In addition to completing other challenges, planning their trip and fundraising Cli and Dempsey have continued to volunteer with the Sparks and Brownies every Thursday.

"It's been fun," said Dempsey.

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