
DATE: Saturday, October 4, 1997             TAG: 9710030119

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   59 lines

SLIME, GOO SHOWCASED AT SCOUT EXPO

THE SLIME'S back.

Gallons of the squishy, irresistible Girl Scout-green stuff will be on hand for the sixth annual Girl Scout Expo today at Tidewater Community College's Portsmouth Campus in Suffolk.

Last year, more than 3,000 people from all over Hampton Roads attended. Few missed the slime, which was created by Chesapeake Scout leader Ethel Robbins.

The ``gluey, mushy mess,'' as Robbins describes it, was developed from a formula created by a Great Bridge chemistry teacher and refined by Robbins.

``Every year, we made more and more slime, but it was never enough, and we kept running out,'' Robbins said. ``So this year, we are filling a wading pool.''

A word of comfort to parents: the non-toxic slime easily washes off with water.

Professional storytellers, jugglers and martial arts experts also will entertain at the Expo, along with clowns, costumed characters, singers, folk dancers and cloggers.

Ty-Rone Travis and Friends, a one man ventriloquist act that has performed all along the East Coast, will appear.

``Expo started as a membership drive kickoff event that offered newly formed troops an opportunity to immediately get involved in a fun activity,'' said Ann Lester, marketing and development director for Girl Scouts of Colonial Coast.

It also provides ``a sample of activities that Girl Scout troops can get involved in during the year.''

Hands-on activities will mix fun with learning in interactive exhibits manned by the Virginia Air and Space Center, Colonial Williamsburg, the Army Transportation Center from Fort Eustis, a Naval amphibious construction battalion and First Landing/Seashore State Park.

Student volunteers from Old Dominion University's recreation education classes will lead the scouts in games, races, aerobics, agility testing and nutrition hints fitting in with the Girl Scout theme for the year: ``Girl Scouting - A Winning Team.'' Several ODU baseball players will also offer mini clinics.

Food vendors will have typical festival food, but scouts and their families are welcome to bring picnic lunches.

At about 3 p.m., a giant arch of kites - 100 of them decorated by the first 100 Girl Scout troops to register - will be launched. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

WANT TO GO?

What: Girl Scout Expo '97

When: Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Where: Portsmouth Campus of Tidewater Community College, College

Drive, Suffolk.

Tickets: $3 at the gate. Event patch $1 for Scouts.

FYI: Dress is casual, Girl Scout T-shirts preferred. Scouts are

to bring health history forms and permission slips. Registration

for troops begins at noon.

Call: 547-4405