From left: Bailey Dufault and Natalie Haynes of Brownie Scout troop 43057 perform a section of “Little Red Riding Hood” with the help of Dorothy Meany at St. Marks Lutheran Home in Austin Monday night. -- Matt Peterson/matt.peterson@austindailyherald.com

Girls in local Brownie Scout troop 43057 didn’t just put on a show Monday evening. They learned about interaction, too.

The second- and third-graders learned about performing in front of a crowd, and how to interact with elders. They performed “The Little Red Hen,” “The Three Little Pigs” and “Little Red Riding Hood” in front of about 40 residents and employees of St. Marks Lutheran Home in Austin.

“Girls this age usually relate to people their own age,” said Alison Witiak, troop leader. “Volunteering at the nursing home shows the girls they are just the same as they are.”

Although the girls felt safer performing in a group, they also read to residents in pairs, and performed with one of the residents. Dorothy Meany, a St. Marks resident, played the grandmother in “Little Red Riding Hood.”

The whole event was part of the Scouts’ community learning effort. According to Witiak, the group has chosen several topics to help in the community. Prior to their St. Marks visit, the Scouts wrote a letter to Austin Parks and Recreation for community awareness. They outlined ongoing problems of vandalism at parks and how it could be fixed. After completing the projects, they earned badges.

Although troop 43057 is large, it and other troops are always looking for more members’ and parents’ help to increase its impact.

“They’re always looking for more adults to volunteer and girls to join,” Witiak said.