Girl Scout camp is a special place, and a site of treasured memories for many, and now Camp Palos in Palos Park, IL, is home to a special memorial garden in honor of Corinne Schillings, a Girl Scout alum who lost her life on March 6, 2004.
The garden, until this year, had a special place at the Homewood Gathering Place. After Corinne’s passing, “we requested people not send flowers but asked that they plant trees,” Karen, Corinne’s mother and longtime Girl Scout volunteer explained. “We had over 60 trees planted in her memory in the parks in Homewood. That’s when the volunteers in the South Cook council asked the board if something could be made in [Corinne’s] memory at the office, so they planted evergreen trees and a garden.”
“When I found out the [Homewood] office was going to be sold, I asked if we could have the garden moved,” and the Corinne Schillings Memorial Garden now has a home at Camp Palos in the entrance of camp, a beautiful way to welcome our Girl Scouts into a meaningful camp experience. Karen hopes Girl Scouts and volunteers can take ownership of the garden and continue to pay tribute to Corinne, who loved to learn and explore.
The Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation is dedicated to preserving the memory of Corinne Schillings and providing scholarships to former Silver or Gold Award Girl Scouts who intend to study a foreign language or study abroad during college or university.
GCNWI CEO Nancy Wright shared, “A special thank you to the Schillings family for welcoming our girls and families with this beautiful garden celebrating Corinne’s life, as well as inspiring everyone to have fun making special camp memories.”
If you make it out to Camp Palos, take a second and reflect at Corinne’s memorial garden.
It’s time to come back to Girl Scouts
Nearly 80 percent of Girl Scouts told us that “Girl Scouts helped me feel more connected to other girls and my community.” When you press play on Girl Scouts, you press play on connection, community, and making treasured memories.
A lovely article and a beautiful garden for an even more beautiful person.