Camp Rocks!

I love camp! Camp inspires, brings youth together through teamwork and it's just a lot of fun! I believe that camp is also very therapeutic, not only for the kids, but for the volunteers, counselors, interns and staff as well. That's why many people are camp crazy and even though many camp directors and staff make less money (or work for free) than corporate jobs, people stay in the business because it truly is a career that makes you feel like you are making a difference. The benefit of camps is that the theme and focus of the camp can vary from sports to college prep. Sky's the limit, regarding possibilities for program content in camps. The benefit of camp is that the program content doesn't have to be as strict as academic models and in fact, camp programs teach usable skills but in a fun way. Girl Scout camp is no different. Many councils are encouraging more volunteer run camps. Of course the benefit for councils is that volunteer camps require no funds from them. The onus lies with the local service units completely. Volunteer Girl Scout camps are generally day camps. The benefit of a local, volunteer day camp is that is helps with Girl Scout retention, acts as a recruitment vehicle, entices girls to return to scouting or attracts new girls into Girl Scouting. The other added benefit is that is gives older girls an opportunity to PA (Program Assistant), giving our middle and high school girls, a much needed leadership opportunity and experience. I won't sugar coat it though, spearheading a new day camp is a lot of work and passion. If you have a passion to create more rewarding experiences for girls and to help foster more community involvement with Girl Scouts, then starting a camp will be right up your alley. I know that over the past four years, I've poured many thousands of hours into developing, managing, improving, evaluating and expanding a camp in my area. The types of workshops my camp has offered: etiquette, hula hooping, square dance, martial arts, music, crafts of all kinds, cartooning, sewing, pillow making, basketball, tennis, golf, Frisbee golf, dutch oven cooking, box oven cooking, cake decorating, solar oven s'mores, science, computer code and programming, costume design, improvisation acting, marketing, business skills, first aid, safety, disaster preparation, disco dance, drill team, relay races, volleyball, softball, advertising, geocaching, map making, scavenger hunt, carnival games, face painting, bike safety, and so much more.
     If you would like to start a camp and need some guidance, feel free to contact me. I am camp crazy!! I have watched hundreds of girls (and boys from our small boys unit) pass through camp with smiles on their faces, excitement about the new skills they learned and feeling like they were a part of a great camp experience. I've had interns rearrange their schedules, just to return to camp to help out, because the experience was so life changing for them. Most importantly, camp has given the teens and pre-teens in my area something to feel a part of, at such a critical time in their lives. Often, there is little opportunity for middle schoolers to be given the type of leadership opportunity that camp provides. So if you are camp crazy too, or you have a passion to inspire youth, get ready to do do the "Cha Cha Slide" and various other dances along with the kids. I guarantee that you'll be exhausted after each camp session but with an enormous feeling of accomplishment.