Girl Scouts plan trip to Presidential Inauguration

By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Hotels in the D.C. area are quickly filling up and airfare is skyrocketing as preparations continue for the Presidential Inauguration.

People from across the country will attend the historic event, including a group of local scouts from Oklahoma City.

The Girl Scout Troop 17 at St. John's Christian Heritage Academy is fired up over the Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

"I think it's like a really good opportunity to see history being made," scout Deja Kirk said.

Obama's historic campaign

"It's important for our little kids and our big kids to know because of what Barack Obama is going to do," Dean said.

Transportation to the event won't be cheap, costing the 32 girls close to $500 for each. They're planning fundraisers to help cover the cost.

"We're chartering a bus and we're going to be staying in the Virginia area and bussing the girls in," scout leader Christina Kirk said.

The limited numbers of rooms still available in D.C. are costing over $500 a night, and the cost of flying has increased as well.

Tickets to the event are free and can be obtained through Washington lawmakers.

"We've had lots of phone calls, hundreds of phone calls from people who want to go witness this historic moment in our nation's history," Rep. Mary Fallin (R-Oklahoma) said.

Lawmakers will distribute the tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis, based on the lists they have. Fallin is urging everyone to move quickly if they plan on going and take a lesson from the girl scouts.

"I'm looking forward to them being able to tell their grandchildren when their grandchildren are studying about history that they were there," Christina Kirk said.

Some Web sites are selling inauguration tickets for high prices, it's probably a scam.

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To make a donation to the troop, e-mail Christina Kirk at christinakirk@kirklawgroup.com.