Girl Scout Troop 28842 members, from left, Makenna Steiner, Lauren Chadwick and Caroline Martin set up their presentation on South Africa on Sunday at the World Thinking Day event at Glade Run Presbyterian Church.

VALENCIA — As chatter and laughter echoed around the inside of Glade Run Presbyterian Church on Sunday, it felt a little like home for Cornia VanWyk and her daughter, Kiara.

The pair, originally from South Africa, moved to Butler County three years ago. Since then, Kiara has joined Girl Scout Troop 28842 in Mars, making friends and learning lessons along the way.

On Sunday the troop joined with several others to take part in World Thinking Day, an annual event offering activities and projects with global themes that aims to teach them about other Girl Scouts around the world. With each group selecting a country to research and present to their fellow scouts, Troop 28842 didn't need to look far.

Troop leader Melissa Steiner said after selecting South Africa as their country, the girls got to work learning about Kiara's country of origin.

“Each of the girls had a different part that they worked on at home,” she said.

The finished project was a tri-fold poster offering information on the country's flag, song, languages and animal population, as well as how scouting works there. As they set up their presentation, the girls donned blue pants, white shirts and yellow bandannas around their neck — the outfit of scouts in South Africa.

As an added touch, VanWyk prepared a South African dessert to share with those gathered: a crepe-like pastry covered in sugar and cinnamon.

“This feels special,” she said of the presentation and the troop's quest to learn more about her daughter's background. “It's like a walk down memory lane. … and a little piece of home.”

The event was held in conjunction with global World Thinking Day activities, in which girls from nearly 150 countries participate. The “marketplace” of country presentations allowed girls to learn about other countries, sample food and drink, and earn badges.

Additionally, Young Brothers Tae Kwon-Do presented lessons in self-defense to the group at no charge. Instead, they asked that the troops “pay it forward” through community service. To do that, troops worked to collect hygiene items for Helping Butler County to give to students.

Additionally, the girls made craft kits and cards to patients at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh for the Caitlin's Smiles program.

Nearly 150 girls from various troops were expected at Sunday's event.