Timeless Trails: A Journey Through Our Former Camps – Part 2

Written by, Rosemarie D Courtney

Since Girl Scouts was founded in 1912, camping has provided campers with memories they carry throughout their lives.

Today, our council has many opportunities for campers to form their own memories at Camp Butternut Springs, Camp Juniper Knoll, Camp Palos, and Camp Greene Wood.

But did you know that over the years, Girl Scouts have made lasting memories at 97 different camps that were once owned by our council, or by the former councils that existed prior to any mergers?

Keep reading to learn more about one of these beloved camps and the memories created there.

CAMP HAPPY HOLLOW

On May 30, 1959, Girl Scouts of Northwest Cook Council purchased 287 acres of land from John Bushman Jr. It featured gentle rolling hills to steep hills with approximately two-thirds open land the last third wooded land. Sugar Creek flows along the edge of the property. The only building on the property was the farmhouse which became the caretaker’s home. The property was purchased with cookie money.

The name “Happy Hollow” was chosen by Junior Troop 365 from St. Mary’s School in Des Plaines, led by Mrs. Eisenbacher. Shortly after the property was purchased, the troop visited the new camp. During a hike down a ravine, the girls discovered a large hollow log and stopped to rest. Inspired by the joyful experience and the unique setting, they submitted the name “Happy Hollow”, which they believed was a perfect reflection of their adventure and the spirit of the camp.

In 1961, troops were provided with tents, camping equipment, water and sanitary facilities for primitive camping experience. 151 girls and adults enjoyed the experience. By 1967, the camp had expanded to include two platform tent sites and Leffer House, a winterized cabin with a kitchen for meal preparation. The cabin was named in honor of Fred Leffer, Chairman of the Campsite Committee and member of the Board of Directors.

In 1970, two more platform sites were added. Then in 1972, Fox’s Den cabin (named after Anne Fox Blakeman – Board of Directors / Camp Director) was constructed. With the camp growing the board realized Leffer House needed to be remodeled. The kitchen was expanded, and two covered decks were added in 1981. The kitchen expansion and equipment were made possible by the June L Kuehl Memorial fund. June, a dedicated volunteer in the Northwest Cook Council, was instrumental in launching the Council’s cookie sale. Her vision and commitment led to years of successful sales, which helped fund the purchase and development of Happy Hollow. Over the years, several other features were added to the camp, including a bell tower, high ropes course, swimming pool, and archery range. The final major addition came in 2002, when stables were built that gave girls the opportunity to enjoy horseback riding without leaving camp property.

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) sold Happy Hollow in 2012.

Debbie Kidd was a troop leader for two troops and going camping was something both troops enjoyed doing. Continue reading to learn more about her experience.

Happy Hollow was a favorite camping site for the troops. It was a distance away from our homes and finding Hollow happy was an adventure all its own. You see, the camp entrance was located on a highway surrounded by trees so finding the sign before you passed it up was “the adventure”. At that time the words “Happy Hollow” were simply attached to a wooden post. Often, we would pass up the sign and then find ourselves in the middle of the country where homes were spread far from each other and all you saw was sky and fields: fields of cows and horses.

On one of the trips we took, there were no gas stations in sight so I pulled our van over, jokingly said to the girls, let’s ask a cow how far we are and if he turns a direction, we will head that way. Well, a cow turned around, we went that way, ended up at a country ice cream shop and enjoyed ice cream before we found out from the shop owner that we passed up Happy Hollow about five miles back. The girls loved the adventure of getting to Happy Hollow.

When my troops were Brownie Girl Scouts we would camp in a lodge. Later, we moved to staying in tents. Some of the best memories were made while hiking and singing together, spotting wildlife, building campfires at night, and indulging in delicious s’mores and pudgy pies.

One of my troop members, Erica shared with me how much fun she had at Happy Hollow “catching snipes”. She said that catching snipes were the best and recalled how one of the members of our troop was in tears when she found out they weren’t real.

Snipes are a playful myth. The girls are led to believe that snipes are adorable, harmless, furry creatures that love to be cuddled. According to the joke, snipes supposedly live in the woods, venture out at night, and are notoriously difficult to catch. “Snipe hunters” go hunting with adults and bring a brown lunch bag, lay it on the ground and make a whistling noise to attract them to the bag. When the girl thinks she’s caught a snipe, the adult discreetly drops a few pebbles in the bag. This clever trick creates the illusion that something is moving inside, thrilling the girls into believing they’ve really caught a snipe. The girls burst with excitement to see their cute little creature they caught squeal with delight. However, the leaders had put a small hole in the bottom of the bag allowing the pebbles to fall out before the girls reached the table to open their bag and see their snipe. Their excitement quickly turns to disappointment when they discover there was nothing in the bag. This goes on until all the girls had a chance to “catch a snipe”. As each girl “catches a snipe” she tells the other girls that it was cute, but it escaped and couldn’t show them what it looked like.

One girl in my troop was so disappointed that her snipe escaped, asked me if I could tell her mom where she can get one for a pet when she gets home. Finally, after the girls finished their nighttime snipe hunt, we revealed the surprise: it was a playful prank! The snipes weren’t real, and the girls erupted into laughter. The rest of the night was filled with laughter and stories about the elusive snipes.

Erica also shared that she remembers sleeping in her sleeping bag on a mat in the main room of the cabin and making breakfast in the morning.

Other great memories for the girls were cooking over a fire, preparing and making foiled meals, dutch oven desserts, singing grace before meals, washing their mess kits and hanging them on clothesline to dry in their dunk bag and making unique crafts. One very special craft that the girls loved was decorating pillowcases. As a leader, I enjoyed creating crafts that were unique and memorable; something that they would keep forever. To this day, 30 years later, some of my troop members have shared with me that they still have their pillowcases as it brings back fond memories of the fun times we had. The girls would put their name at the opening side of the pillowcase, and add their creation using fabric markers, putting Happy Hollow and the date somewhere on the cover, then having each girl sign it. On each subsequent camping trip, we would bring our special pillowcase and add to it, having the girls sign their names on a section of the cover with the date of our trip.

I remember my daughter, Jennifer, going to Happy Hollow resident camp for the first time. She went horseback riding, made new friends and loved the time away! Also, Happy Hollow was the camping site where our service unit went camping. That was a fun trip – as a member of the service team, I chose to teach the girls first aid, and each girl made a small first aid kit. Other stations were run by other service team members or troop leaders teaching outdoor cooking skills or other camp skills.

The GSGCNWI Historians are trying to collect photos and memories of all the 97 camps that were once owned or rented by our council or former councils. If you have any camp photos or memories you’d like to share, please send them to rdcourtney1940@gmail.com.

Memories from Camp Hickory Hill, Wild Rose Program Center, and Camp Norwesco

Camp Hickory Hill, 1929-1964

In 1929, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fredrick Loesch purchased a track of land that was originally a land grant signed by President Martin VanBuren.  It is in Edgerton, WI, located on Rice Lake.  In October of 1931, the land was deeded by the Loesch’s to the Des Plaines Girl Scout Council and the Girl Scouts of America (GSUSA), Region 7, and became Girl Scout Camp Hickory Hill.  Mrs. Loesch was the first commissioner of the Des Plaines Girl Scout Council, and Mr. Charles Fredrick Loesch was the maintenance director of Hickory Hill for many years. Miss Marian Hodgins was the first camp director of Hickory Hill. The first building on the property was the dining room/kitchen, named Loesch Lodge. “Grigsby,” a recreation building donated by Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Grigsby, was the second one built; the last two were the staff house and office building. These buildings were built with dollars contributed by former campers. Outpost, the pioneer unit, was formed in 1935.  The camp had five units: Merriwood, Hilltop, Outpost, Trails End, and Sea Scouts.   All campers lived in platform tents except Outpost. 

The camp was transferred to Girl Scouts of Northwest Cook Girl Scout Council when the Des Plaines Girl Scout Council merged with Illinois Prairie to form Northwest Cook Girl Scout Council. Deeds were finally recorded in Dane County, Wisconsin, on January 26, 1956.

Barbara Coyle attended Camp Hickory Hill in the late 1940s.  Her favorite memory is the songs the Merriwood Unit sang every day, and she still sings them today.

Wild Rose Program Center, 1952-2012

Camp Lindenwood, located in Thatcher Woods, was returned to the Forest Preserves in 1945. The Forest Preserve tore it down in 1949. The Finance Committee of Lone Tree Area Girl Scout Council recommended to the Board of Directors that a savings account be set up to purchase a permanent campsite for day camping, overnight camping, and Brownie camping.  In March of 1952, Lone Tree Area Girl Scout Council purchased 80 acres of land that was part of the Crane Estate, which was formerly called Wild Rose Farm.  The council originally named the property Camp Wild Rose.  The first house built on the site was in 1953 and named Ridgetop House, but many referred to it as “the Brownie House.”  In 1975, Lone Tree Area sold their camp in Three Lakes, WI, and Wild Rose became their resident camp. 

Strawberry Lodge and the caretaker’s residence were built in 1958.  Strawberry Lodge was later converted into an administrative building. Also, two platform camp areas named Aspen Grove and Tall Oaks were built, and two advanced campers’ sites were developed, Happy Hollow and Hawthorne Trail.  In 1967, a storage house and workshop were built.  In 1969, an octagonal lodge was built, and Westchester Troop 493 had the honor of being the first troop to use the lodge. 

In 1979, Lone Tree Area Girl Scout Council saw a need for many renovations to Camp Wild Rose and a task force led by Marge Gray converted the camp into Wild Rose Program Center where activities for girls and leader training could be held year-round.  Major changes were the building of Blueberry Patch Lodge in the shape of a cross so it could house three troops at a time. 

Sandy Cervenka remembers taking her Junior troop to Wild Rose and going to the marsh to do water sampling for their badge work.  Among the girls on the steps is Sandy’s sister, Bobbie Krivanek.

Sandy also remembers being one of four counselors in the Tall Oaks unit during a 4-day resident camp experience.   “Two of us wore glasses and two hearing aids.  We were sleeping soundly with all the tent flaps up when the site manager came up in her car to wake us.  There was a storm coming with possible tornadoes.  None of us heard the walkie-talkies go off.  Being blind or deaf, we had to get the girls from their tents and take them to the unit’s shelter.  We had to drag some girls asleep in their sleeping bags through the rain and mud to the shelter,” said Sandy.

Debbie Kidd shares memories of taking her Troop 1750 camping for the first time in 1995, and it was at Wild Rose.  “It has become a cherished memory for the girls and me.  We hiked, made tie-dyed t-shirts outside, made homemade ice cream in a “coffee can,” played sticks, cooked our meals, made napkin rings from nature, sang gracefully around the campfire, made s’mores, and sang songs.  One of the girls on that campout, Jenica Janos, told Debbie that Girl Scouts didn’t just teach me to build a fire; it taught me to untangle challenges, navigate the wilderness of life with confidence, and always leave the campsite better than I found it,” said Debbie.

Camp Norwesco, 1958-1983

In 1955, the Northwest Cook Council saw the need for another established camp since Camp Pine and Camp Hickory Hill always had waiting lists.  A committee was formed to investigate properties in Wisconsin. The committee decided on a 700-acre site on Herde Lake adjacent to DuPage County Council’s Camp Chippewa Bay on Long Lake.  The Board approved the purchase of the property on October 23, 1957. During July 21 – 31, 1958, 12 girls were chosen to primitive camp on the property.  They were accompanied by two leaders and a camp nurse.  Road construction began in June of 1959.  The remainder of the camp was completed in 1960.

Copied from the log of July 21-31, 1958, primitive camp: Friday, July 25 – Tuft’s (leader) turn to town.  Girls dug another latrine – still not satisfied! The third one, finally deep enough, was considered satisfactory, so girls lashed a seat.  I took down the damaged tent, replaced it, and decided to add one more tent so that all tents would house just two girls.  The girls continued during the day on various chores – peeling bark for the flagpole, splicing the rope, and rigging the pulley.  Some of the girls lashed a table near the baker’s tent for use in getting meals and doing dishes—more clearing and shopping.  The new beach spot started near Cotton’s (leader) tent, and steps cut down the hill.  A better path cleared to the boat – stones removed, bean holes for Sunday dinner were dug.  Two girls lashed a table near their tent to hold a washstand and personal gear.  At the campfire, the girls sang us their completed camp song:

Michele Herman spent the first of seven summers at Camp Norwesco in 1970.  The first year, she went for one session that was two weeks long. After that, Michele insisted she attend two sessions. Her first five years of experience included swimming, boating, hiking, crafts, flag ceremonies, and morning watch.  The following year, Michele was in the mounted unit (horseback riding), which is what Michele calls the crème de la crème. “Boundary Waters spending ten days in the Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, canoeing for hours, portaging between lakes, carrying packs heavier than she was, digging holes to make a toilet, securing food so bears would not get it, and keeping pie pans handy to scare off bears.  We sang quiet songs around the campfire and knew no one was within miles of us.  It was filled with majestic views of nature.  I often told my daughters I would still go if they let me!  Camp Norwesco is my happiest place on Earth,” said Michele.

Elise Gould said, “Camp Norwesco was my happy place for me! For many summers during my childhood and teenage days, I would go up there and find peace, friendship, and fun with other girls my age.  It was magical!  With the sale of Camp Hickory Hills, units were added, and some unit names changed. The new unit for older girls was called Marion. It is here that I became a Counselor-in-Training (CIT) and then a full-time counselor.  Memories are abounding when it comes to Norwesco.  The counselors, the girls and future friends, and the fun activities kept me coming back summer after summer.  I am still friends with many of the girls and counselors.  There were several reunions where we gathered to reminisce and sing songs as if we were kids again.”

Campfire Tales: The Evolution of Girl Scout Camp

For more than 100 years, Girl Scouts have discovered outdoor adventures full of learning, challenges, friendships, and tons of fun by going to camp. Today, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana offer outdoor programming at four camps across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Camp Palos and Camp Greene Wood are day camps where Girl Scouts spend the day at camp and return home in the evening. Camp Juniper Knoll and Camp Butternut Springs are resident camps where Girl Scouts can have an overnight camping experience. With all summer camps now in full swing, our council historians and previous Girl Scout members have shared their fondest memories of attending and the history of former Girl Scout summer camps.

Camp Timber Trails – Munising, Michigan

Camp Timber Trails was leased for nine weeks from 1928 to 1942 from Bay DeNoc Lumber Company. It was in the heart of the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It was a pioneer camp for older Girl Scouts where they could roam over the entire National Forest from Lake Superior to Lake Michigan. 

Mary-Jane Ryan’s camp application for Camp Tiber Trails.

Girl Scouts who attended the camp came from Chicago and other surrounding councils. Some Girl Scouts were driven to camp, while others traveled from Chicago by train. Former Girl Scout Mary-Jane Ryan started her camping experience at Juniper Knoll, and at age 17, she attended Camp Timber Trails. Mary-Jane Ryan returned to Juniper Knoll as a staff member. Mary Jane Ryan’s daughter, Corkey Waite, said her mother’s Girl Scout experiences made her who she is today and that she always talks about Girl Scouts.

Camp Cloverleaf – Sheridan, Illinois

Camp Cloverleaf was originally named Camp Sheridan until 1959 and was located on the Fox River.    By the spring of 1958, the winter house, which is seen in the above picture, was completed. It was the only building with hot and cold running water, central heating, and a stove. In the early 1960s, eight cabins that housed four Girl Scouts each and an outdoor kitchen were added. Eight platform tents were erected in 1962. In 1964, the Cloverleaf Council purchased another 44 acres adjacent to the original land. The next building to be built was the summer troop house; it had an indoor kitchen and fireplace. Between 1969 and 1972, the council purchased another 84 acres, bringing the total acreage to 198 acres. In 1979 and 1980, more platform tents were built. These had wooden roofs and canvas sides. Eventually, the original platform tents had wooden roofs added. The last building to be built on the property was a shower house. The camp also had two primitive camp areas, trails, an archery field, and a canoe launch area.  

Former Girl Scout Marty Devereux-Poch’s fondest memories of Camp Cloverleaf were that her grandma was one of her Junior troop leaders and loved camping in the little cabins. Each cabin had a name like Sleep Inn. There was space for activities and for having meals in the middle of the ring of cabins.

“My troop was from Our Lady of the Mount Catholic School, so we always packed our Girl Scout uniforms when we went camping. On Sunday morning, we would all get dressed up and head down to Wedron, IL, to attend Mass, and then we would return to camp for breakfast before packing up for home. As a Cadette, I learned archery, and Mr. Whelen, who farmed part of the camp property, always found some arrows during harvest time. I learned to canoe at camp. Some trips on the Fox River were short, to Wedron and back to camp. Others were day-long trips from camp to Yorkville, stopping at Camp Merrybrook to eat our lunch in their meadow, then being picked up and driven back to camp,” said Marty.

Former Girl Scout Gwen Novy Ferguson also has fond memories of Camp Cloverleaf. She camped there as a young Girl Scout and became a Junior troop leader and council trainer in the late 1970s.

“My memories include times spent with Junior Troop #13, Cadette Troop #17, and Senior Troop #99. During my Junior and Cadette years, my mom, Gladys Novy, was my leader, and Erma Slovak was my Senior leader. We enjoyed outdoor cooking, badge-work, singing, stargazing, knot-tying, compass, lashing, crafts, nature lore, campfires, skits, service projects, hiking, long and short canoe trips on the Fox River, and exploring other places that were a short distance from camp. During the summer, we’d drive to the Pitstak Dairy, which had a small swimming lake with a beach and offered horseback riding. I remember we’d use the council van, named the Green Giant, for transportation. For added adventure in the evenings, we’d sometimes hike down the road to Camp Merrybrook and have a campfire with the Girl Scouts from the West Cook Council,” Gwen said.

When the West Cook Council and the Cloverleaf Council merged, they decided to sell Camp Cloverleaf on April 1, 1994. The eight cabins and the outdoor kitchen were moved to Camp Merrybrook. Later, the platform tents were also moved, and the unit was named Cloverleaf.

Camp Merrybrook – Serena, Illinois

In 1954, the West Cook Council purchased 97.5 acres of wooded property near Sheridan, Illinois. It fronted on the Fox River and Mission Creek. The council originally named the camp: Camp Kiwanis-on-the-Fox, because the Kiwanis Club of LaGrange provided money for the down payment. An existing fishing lodge near the creek was named Kiwanis Club. 

The first campers arrived in 1955, and Mr. Bray, Sr. was the first camp caretaker. In 1956, the camp was renamed Camp Merrybrook. From 1957 to 1958, three platform tent units were added to the camp. In 1958, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad donated a huge steam engine bell to the council. It was installed on a concrete pillar outside Lenona Lodge and used in emergencies. The camp was dedicated on October 4, 1959, and the mortgage was burnt. From 1960 to 1961, the caretaker house and maintenance building were constructed. The Heritage House Lodge was built in 1964. At some point, more acreage was purchased, and the camp totaled 136 acres. At some time, a totem pole was displayed in respect for Native American tradition.  

In the late 1970s, electricity and running water were installed in Heritage House. It was renamed Bonnie Brae after a camp trainer and the first caretaker. In 1971, Idle-a-While Lodge was built between Lenona and Bonnie Brae. It was the first lodge to have flush toilets. The pool and pool house were built in 1976. In the early 1980s, a challenging adventure course for older girls was constructed. It was not maintained and deemed unsafe. Repairs were never made, so it was taken down.

Camp River Trails – Sheridan, Illinois

In 1986, when the West Cook Council and the Cloverleaf Council merged, the board decided to sell Camp Cloverleaf and keep Camp Merrybrook. They renamed the camp: Camp River Trails. As mentioned above, the eight small cabins, outdoor kitchen, and platform tents were moved from Camp Cloverleaf to Camp River Trails. At the same time, the post office changed its address to Sheridan, Illinois. In 1995, the old farmhouse was torn down, and the Dreamcatcher Room was added. The Lenona Lodge was renamed the Merrybrook Room.

The entire construction included:

Two kitchens joining the two-unit rooms.
Multiple leader rooms.
A handicap ramp.
A stone wall for sitting around the fire ring.
A washroom and shower house with a storage basement and storm shelter beneath.

The entire complex of new buildings became known as the Lenona Complex.  In 2000, a Friendship Pole was installed, and a challenge course called The Challenge of the Castle Garden was installed near the pool. Then, in 2014, an Ambassador troop from Lyons, IL, donated the materials and built an archery course near the camp manager’s house. Other troops built and painted a map of the camp and archery rules that were installed on the outside of the maintenance building.

Near the manager’s house, there were two landmarks: Smokey Bear and his two cubs, added by a Senior troop in 1958, and a sign that read, Camp Built by Cookies. Both landmarks are now at Camp Greene Wood. Over the ravine on one of the trails, there was a footbridge over a stream called River Kwai. Senior Girl Scouts made and repaired the bridge using logs, and branches lashed with twine.  

Lifetime Girl Scout member Kathi Krankoski shared some Camp Merrybrook tall tales and traditions that carried over to Camp River Trails:

Friendship Pole: One of the traditions was to place “wishing rocks” around the Friendship Pole. The rocks were painted with environmentally safe paint, and when spring came, the magic happened, and the rocks and their messages were carried out via the Mission Creek, Fox, Illinois, and Mississippi Rivers, and eventually into the ocean.

Sparkler pencils: At checkout from camp on a weekend, if your site or cabin met inspection, each girl received a camp sparkler pencil.

Cadette roundup:  During a special week when only Cadettes could attend camp, the Cadettes never used the words “poison ivy.” They just said, “PI.”

Daisy Bridge: If a Girl Scout didn’t make the Girl Scout sign before crossing the bridge, it would collapse.

Old wagon:  There was an old wagon abandoned as a group was heading west. It was left behind after the group was attacked by Native Americans. When excavating the area, clothing and other items were found.

The Legend of Hernando’s Hideaway: Legend has it that Hernando was a local bandit river private. He and his group stole from farmers and hid the treasures along Mission Creek. From the beginning of Camp Merrybrook until 2013, Girl Scouts would walk the creek and investigate caves to see if they could find a treasure. Early on, wagon wheels and broken pottery pieces were found.

The Legend of the Crying Princess: Behind the area where Bonnie Brae stands, there are bluffs that form what we call the Crying Princess. It’s a sandstone formation that weeps out a trickle of water. Legend has it that long ago, a young Native American woman, while running to escape an undesired suitor, fell to her death there. Her tears are what are seen to this day. 

Camp Butternut Springs Gets New Pool and More!

*Rendering of how the new pool and shower house will look once completed.*

Over the past year, Girl Scouts GCNWI has been working on planning, designing, and constructing a new pool and shower house at Camp Butternut Springs, allowing for improved facilities for campers. This 3.2-million-dollar project is the largest capital project that the council has ever worked towards and will be completed before the start of Summer Camp 2023.

The old pool was over 50 years old, and it was time to replace and upgrade. The new pool will have a diving board and will be accessible. For those hot summer days, campers will stay hydrated and ready for camp activities with two separate water drinking fountains that include bottle-filling stations while enjoying the shade of a large canopy on the new pool deck. Along with the construction of the new pool, a brand-new shower house is to be built with 16 individual shower rooms with a sink and toilet to provide privacy for everyone using it.

GCNWI has been working with VJS Construction and Whiteco Pool company to complete this work. GCNWI has previously worked with VJS Construction to complete projects, including the new dining hall at Camp Juniper Knoll and two new cabins at Camp Butternut Springs.

A Groundbreaking Ceremony will take place on October 20 at 2:30 p.m. at Camp Butternut Springs to highlight all the hard work being done to improve our Summer Camp program for all Girl Scouts. The ceremony will last one hour. If you would like to attend, you must RSVP to vking@girlscoutsgcnwi.org no later than October 18.

Girl Scout Adventures in Colorado

Fourteen of our Girl Scouts had the chance to visit Colorado this summer as part of our council’s travel experiences and explore the great outdoors! Learn more about their adventures from the girls themselves in the journal entries they sent home every night:

Day 1

Hello from Snow Mountain Ranch! We started off the day with our flight to Denver. Our pilot was hilarious and we enjoyed the free snacks. Once in Denver, we boarded our very own bus. Our bus driver was named Buffalo Bill and he had a very nice cowboy hat (by the way, it took Bill three years to become an official cowboy!). We drove through the mountains and our ears were popping as we slowly climbed the mountains. We even saw some buffalo and some snowy white caps!

Later, we checked into our rooms and ate dinner RIGHT AWAY (because we were starving). We then walked back to our rooms and enjoyed some free time. To finish off the night, we had a brief orientation meeting to plan our schedules for the week. We were overjoyed to hear that there ARE in fact llamas on property!

Day 2

Today was our first official day of doing activities. All of the girls doing the one-hour horseback riding had to get up early to eat breakfast at the mess hall. They served French toast sticks and salami along with fruits, yogurt, granola and cereals, etc. We were all assigned to different horses and some were not as cooperative as others! Don’t worry, we were all wearing helmets.

All of the girls that were also doing archery then took a rented car to the other side of camp, to be on time. For the session, we all got to shoot the arrows at targets in the hay stacks. After a tired morning, we all walked back to get lunch. The meal (tuna noodle casserole) was delicious!

The adventurous people of the group dared to then go to the high-ropes course. We had to use teamwork to make the dream work on the “Giants’ Ladder.” After working from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., many girls got tired and went back to their rooms before going to the cafeteria for dinner. We all had a little bit of time to roller skate and play dodge ball in the Kiva (activity area) before going to a meeting about tomorrow’s fun. Many went on a last-minute hike to see the sunset for beautiful pictures.

Day 3

Today, all of us had a lot of fun whitewater rafting. We made A LOT of fun memories that will last a lifetime. To start out our day, most of the girls went on a morning sunrise hike and got a lot of pictures. We quickly went back to our rooms to get ready for whitewater rafting. We had a quick breakfast before we loaded the buses to leave. We had a fun bus ride filled with laughter and song singing.

When we got the facility, we got fitted from our PFDs (personal flotation devices) and helmets, then we grabbed our paddles and took a few cute pictures. We hopped on the bus to get to the bank where we were loaded on to our rafts to begin our day of mad adventuring.

At the beginning, we did a lot of sightseeing, and one of the most beautiful things that we saw was a bald eagle. After about five minutes on the river, we hit our first batch of rapids. It was scary at first, but after a few good splashes, we realized how much fun we were going to have. We went through a few more rapids before we reached a small rock that we could jump off of. Most of the girls went without hesitation and were for sure shocked by the cold.

After jumping, we got back in to the raft and headed to the second section of rapids on our trip. On the second section, we got our first taste of what the Colorado River can dish out. It was a major adrenaline rush! After this, we stopped for a very hardy lunch and then cruised down the river. We got to jump out of the raft a couple times.

After dinner, some of the girls went on a beautiful hike where we got to see the sunset. We are excited to see what else Colorado has to offer!

Day 4

Today, we had a splendid time with our activities. When we woke up, we met up with beautiful horses that would take us to our delicious meal of pancakes, sausage and eggs. The cowboys were very kind and treated us to their stories of their many travels brought by their talent of horse wrangling (with the help of Mrs. Garlough’s ongoing questions).

Later, we hiked over to the Rowley Homestead, where we whittled away at our award-winning hiking sticks. It was hard work whittling and sanding them, but they will definitely come in handy on our many hikes. We then ate lunch and hurried over to the summer tubing hill, where a steep bumpy hill and a lot of fun awaited us. All of us really enjoyed the experience, and the mist that was sprayed at us as we rode down was very refreshing, since it was such a hot day.

Next, we split up and had a while to relax and enjoy the afternoon. Some of the campers rented bikes and rode on some of the beautiful trails hugging the mountains. There were highs and lows, but overall it was an activity not to be missed! Other campers just relaxed in their rooms, went to the craft cabin, or enjoyed a refreshing swim in the pool. After that, we all met up for a cookout, and enjoyed the many different options that met each lifestyle.

Then we played on the playground until a sandstorm rolled in, but this was not exactly a bad thing, since it led us to a special needs talent show. It brought tears to many of our eyes. Their courage showed us how foolish we are to worry about what other people think of our talents. When it ended some of us went over to the roller rink and got an awesome view of a double rainbow — it went right over our cabin, what a coincidence! Finally, after a long day, we all headed back to our cabin to rest up for another full day tomorrow.

Day 5

Today we had a busy, but exciting day. We woke up to a breakfast of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and French toast. Some of us went on a very early morning hike. Some took later hikes, but both were spectacular. There was also a few on a horseback ride. Six people, including Mrs. Baudhuin and Ashley, went on a beautiful scenic waterfall hike. We took tons of photos, and ended up exploring a cave. The horseback ride was two hours long and was very exciting.

Afterward, we headed over to lunch, which included Rice Krispy Treats. Then we went canoeing on a beautiful lake. We played fun games, such as retrieving tennis balls from the lake. There was lots of teamwork involved to win the competition! We also had fun playing with the minnows, but we didn’t catch any, although we tried hard. We splashed each other a ton, but luckily no canoes were tipped over. But one person did intentionally fall in! We headed back for a few hours of free time — some swimming, some drawing.

Whatever it was, our time was not wasted! However, we noticed some dark clouds overhead. It started raining, so we weren’t able to go zip lining. Dinner was delicious including a wide variety of desserts to choose from, including coconut crème pie, ice cream, and carrot cake. Despite the rain, we had plenty of excitement. We decided to lounge inside and play a game of spoons. Don’t worry, no serious injuries, but it was quite vicious! We sang songs, had laughs, and ended up playing even more games. As we get ready to go to bed, we can all agree it was a very adventurous day. We are now looking forward to more fun and amazement tomorrow!

Day 6

We had an exciting day today! We started our day off with getting on the bus to go to Rocky Mountain National Park. Once we got there we went to the Holzwarth Homestead. Our group took a tour of the homestead where we learned about the settlers that lived there. One of the groups worked on their tree badge and learned about the different trees in the area. At the end of our time at the homestead, we tried to lasso a wooden horse. All of us then got on the bus to go get lunch.

After lunch, we headed to the Continental Divide for a photo opp. Then our group went to the Alpine Visitor’s Center to go on a hike. The hike was to the highest point you could hike to. The elevation was 12,005 feet! While we were at the visitor’s center I (Molly) earned my junior ranger badge. On our way to Grand Lake we saw three moose and an elk.

Back in the town, we shopped for souvenirs. While we were there most of us got Dairy King. A little after we got back some of us went on hikes. One of the hikes was a waterfall hike. Once the girls made it to the waterfall, they took a picture in the waterfall. The water was really cold. While some girls were on the waterfall hike, a few other girls went on another hike nine mile mountain (it’s actually two miles).

Day 7 – Last Day

Hi there from our last day at Snow Mountain Ranch! We started off our day with a trip to the climbing wall. Several people got to hit the buzzer at the top of the wall. We think that the wall was at least 30 feet tall, but it certainly felt taller once you started to climb up it. We had very sore fingers by the end of our climbing trip. Then a small group of us went down to the craft cabin and participated in a glass fusion class.

After creating our works of art, we ran over to get photos done by our good friend Dill, a seasoned professional. After capturing our beautiful faces on to a digital screen we went on a trip down a 55-foot-high zip line! It was a thousand feet across. After this, our group split into doing a couple of activities. One was a three-mile hike up to a waterfall. We got a bit wet, but it was worth it in the end.

The others in our group went on a steak dinner horseback ride. The ride to our dinner spot was about an hour and a half long, and some of our horses were a bit temperamental. The steak was amazing and we had potatoes and beans as a side dish. We all also got to avoid the rain, which was nice! After our very busy day we ended it with a group campfire. Our trained CIT2s helped build it and the girls led camp songs throughout, ending it with their favorite song “On My Honor.” We’re going to miss our adventures in the Colorado Mountains, but we are excited to see our families and tell them all about our trip.

Do you want to travel with Girl Scouts? For more information on our council’s travel programs, click here or email Ashley Christensen at achristensen@girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

Valparaiso Girl Scouts ‘Take Action’ for Camp Butternut Springs

Troop 30364, from St. Paul Catholic School in Valparaiso, Indiana, took a “sit” against littering and for recycling at nearby Camp Butternut Springs and donated a bench made out of 400 pounds of recycled plastic water bottle caps.

The plaque on the bench reads: “Enjoy resting on this bench made of 400 lbs. of plastic caps – a Porter County Community recycling project made possible by Brownie Scout Troop #30364 and Pines Village Retirement Communities, Inc. 2016.”

The troop delivered the bench in April with the help of Pines Village Retirement Community’s CAPs Crew, which cleans, sorts and bundles un-recyclable plastic bottle caps.

photo (3) — Troop 30364 from Valparaiso, Indiana worked with a local retirement community to create a bench made from plastic bottle caps.

Members of the troop came up with the idea to create a sustainable bench while earning their Brownies Quest Keys Award.

“Through this award, we learned that together their three Keys – Discover, Connect, and Take Action – unlock the meaning of leadership,” they explained. “To earn our last Key, we had to take action somehow in our community.”

The girls decided that recycling would be their focus and started their research. They came across an article from Pines Village Retirement Community about transforming recycled caps into benches, and decided to partner with the crew. With the help of Lu Krieger-Blake and some of their Girl Scout Cookie sales money, they participated in a program called “A Bench For Caps.”

Troop members Dina Nguyen, Kylie Starkey and Elise Maxey thought that the hardest part of the project was collecting 400 pounds of clean, non-metal, plastic caps. According to the community’s website, these caps can include:

Snap-On cottage cheese, coffee can, and yogurt lids
Twist-on medicine, drink, and milk bottles, including the ring
Flip-top ketchup and condiment bottles
Large twist-off lids (such as detergent)
Spout lids (such as squirt mustard)

While there were some challenges to the project, they said the most fun was when they went to the Pines Village Retirement Community and met with Lu and the CAPs Crew.

“We spent time with them sorting caps while learning about each other,” said the girls. “Before we left we sang them our favorite Girl Scout anthem: ‘Make New Friends.’ It was a great time and we can’t wait to go back!”

This project has inspired their troop to make more change in the world by continuing to save caps and work with Pines Village Retirement Community CAPs Crew. In doing this, they hope to help put brand new sustainable and eco-friendly benches around the community for people to enjoy, all while keeping plastic caps from ending up in landfills.

“We are so proud of our Brownie Troop 30364,” said troop leader Diane Nguyen.

“And we look forward to many adventures in the future!” said troop leader Tiffany Maxey.

From a Girl Scout to Troop Leader: Lessons I’ve Learned

Sitting in my Daisy troop circle, with my fingers anxiously twitching, I couldn’t wait for my turn to dip my egg in the bowl of colored water. Little did I know, that this would become the first memory I would hold of a fifteen-year Girl Scout journey.

Growing up, Girl Scouts provided me with a way to get together with my friends and participate in creative crafts and activities. The girls in my troop and I would hold sleepovers, learn dances like the Flamenco for World Thinking Day, and partake in service events like the annual Step Up for Kids Walk held in downtown Chicago. However, the older I got, the more I learned that while Girl Scouts was a program for me to make friends, it was much more a program for me to discover myself.

At the age of 14, I completed my Silver Award project — Kits for Kids — where my team and I created and hosted a fundraiser, whose earnings allowed us to assemble and supply entertainment kits for the bedridden children of a local hospital. This opportunity showed me firsthand that I could make a direct impact — that I could and should go out and seek out issues I cared about and work to address them.

The project developed my passion for community service and, the more I reflect on it, the more I realize the number of skills that simple project helped me developed. Earning my Silver Award taught me to communicate effectively, work within a team, conduct research and outreach, and most importantly to act upon my passion to serve.

I was fortunate enough to not only be able to conduct projects, but to also attend programs, such as the 2011 National Scouts Jamboree, and the STEM overnight camp, both of which continued to foster my growth. The Jamboree was one of the first ways I was able to find myself. Going to a camp in another state with hundreds of other scouts I didn’t know, taught me the importance of taking initiative and forced me out of my shell. I was able to experience new thrills like ziplining, but was also able to become really close to people I had just met.

Areesha at STEM camp — My troop won an invention award at STEM camp!

The STEM overnight camp exposed me to the world of engineering and innovation, and encouraged me to mesh my quantitative and creative abilities to explore and innovate. Being a female, I wasn’t actively exposed to this field regarding innovation and technology. STEM camp made it not only acceptable, but rather commendable to be a girl and to like and excel at STEM subjects.

Near the end of my Girl Scout journey, I began reflecting on what it was ultimately that I gained from these experiences. Girl Scouts exposed me to new opportunities and engaged me in activities ranging in different fields, like STEM, with different people. Being a Girl Scout pushed me to work and communicate in teams; it challenged me with real world problems; it taught me life skills like first aid and self-defense; it encouraged me to chase my dreams and unleash my potential. Girl Scouts provided me with a safe environment to explore various fields and polish up my skill set, which has led me to serve in the versatile roles I do today. My Girl Scouts leaders and my Girl Scouts community provided me with the resources and support to empower me to become the confident and determined female I am.

However, the discovery did not stop with my experience or who I was, but rather expanded to my future abilities. Girl Scouts made me realize that I have the power and potential to foster change and to empower others.

Currently, I am a freshman at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois studying statistics and economics, with hopes of becoming an actuary in the near future. On campus, I am on a competitive Bollywood dance team, current social chair for our Women in Business organization, the Marketing and Resource Manager for an upcoming summer camp, and am spending time this quarter interning at a local start-up.

Female empowerment has now become a passion for me. It was through other females’ efforts, that I am able to uphold myself in a confident manner. Hence, the other role that I currently hold is the assistant leader for a Brownie troop of 24 girls. I took on this role because I was inspired to empower young girls. Talking to my Girl Scouts, regardless of how young they are, I can see that they are very talented with so much potential, and I have made it my mission to provide them with the resources, the time, and the motivation to help them grow, so that they can build that confidence and feel empowered enough to chase their dreams, broaden their horizons, and exceed their potential.

Just as the mural made by my scouts above says, “Girls Can Change the World,” I hope to be one of those girls — one who inspires other girls to do the same.

A lifelong Girl Scout, Areesha Majeed is a troop leader for a second-grade Brownie troop. She is a freshman at Northwestern University pursuing a double major in economics and statistics with a minor in French.

Give the Gift of Gathering at Juniper Knoll

Kitchens are made for people to gather and we can’t until our campers can gather in the new dining hall at Camp Juniper Knoll.

It’s been a few years since heavy snow caused the roof to collapse on the original dining hall and construction crews have been hard at work preparing the building for the upcoming camp season.

To help us serve Girl Scout campers for years to come, we’re stocking the dining hall’s kitchen … but we need your help. Shop the online kitchen registry to help fill the kitchen with all the gadgets and appliances necessary to ensure an exceptional experience for everyone who visits Juniper Knoll, which is located on Pleasant Lake in East Troy, Wisconsin.

Items, such as pots and pans, folding tables and chairs, range from $25 to $15,000. Gifts can be made as an individual, family, troop and/or service unit. You can also make a monetary donation to give a girl a camp experience with memories that will last a lifetime. Every gift makes an impact!

For more information or to purchase a gift, please visit bit.ly/gsregistry. To view additional pictures of the progress at Juniper Knoll, click here.

We look forward to inviting you to the grand opening of the dining hall this summer. Thank you for supporting our council in this exciting endeavor.

What I Learned at Girl Scout Summer Camp

My name is Charlotte and I have been a Girl Scout for 10 years, from Daisy through to Senior. For the last four years, I’ve gone to Girl Scout summer camp. I’ve been to the Hoist your Sail, On Belay, Engineering Design and Backpacking Adventurer camps. The picture of our Backpacking group was in this year’s camp brochure, how cool is that?

Going to Girl Scout camp is great. There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t yet met. It doesn’t matter if you go to camp by yourself (like I do!) as you always meet up with other girls from previous years camps. Even though we haven’t seen each other for a year we’re still the best of friends. I love camping in the outdoors, learning new skills and sharing those experiences with my new and old friends.

Sailing taught me how to work both on my own and with other crew members. Of course the best part was tipping the sail boat and trying to re-right it! It was so much fun to be on, and in, the water every day. Our group stayed in platform tents by the lake which was great as it was cooler by the water.

Rock climbing taught me that I must be responsible for checking my equipment and that no obstacle is too high or too scary to overcome when you have buddies encouraging you all the way. At Devil’s Lake we stayed in the coolest yurts ever. They had A/C and a TV, too (shhh … don’t tell your moms!). Mind you, it was 103 degrees when we were there, so it was much appreciated.

The Engineering program was one of my favorite camps. We worked in groups and individually to solve all sorts of problems using the items provided as well as improvising along the way. We also got to visit the Yerkes Observatory. I had never done any engineering before, but after this camp I looked into the engineering classes my future high school had to offer. As a freshman, I chose to do a class in engineering design and next year I’m doing civil engineering and architecture. If I hadn’t been on this camp I would never thought about doing engineering at high school.

Finally, the Backpacking camp taught me the value of teamwork: planning and doing our hikes, sharing responsibilities around camp and fine tuning our “leave no trace” skills. I also learned that I really don’t like powdered eggs for breakfast and that life without any electronics is possible and totally enjoyable when you have good company and lovely scenery.

So, what will you do this summer? Watch TV? Play computer games? I challenge you to go try something new!

As for me, I’m off to Girl Scout leadership camp this summer. It’s time to learn some new skills and how to give back to the Girl Scout community.

Have a great summer – see you at camp!

There’s so much to see and do at summer camp! Check out our full list of summer programs at day and resident camps across our council in the 2016 Program Guide and register today.

Find Out What These Girl Scouts Love Most About Summer Camp

Campfires, crafts and canoes are certainly part of the Girl Scout camp experience, but girls today have more options than ever before.

Take, for example, the Engineering Design Challenge resident camp at Camp Juniper Knoll in East Troy, Wisconsin.

“It’s definitely my favorite camp,” shares Elizabeth L., a 13-year-old Girl Scout Cadette. “The challenge changes every year. The first year was a mission to Mars and last year we made LEGO robotics.”

She loves the camp so much, she’s recruited several friends to join her in the two-week long session. During the camp, participants work in teams to solve challenges using the Engineering Design Process.

“We’re all girls and we get to talk about the same thing,” says Elizabeth. “We’re at engineering camp so we all have the same nerdy interests. And our counselors are nerds just like us.”

Elizabeth and Maggie heading off to camp

And it won’t be long before Elizabeth joins the rank of camp counselors. This summer, she’s also attending the counselor-in-training day camp at Camp Greene Wood in Woodridge, Illinois.

“I’ve wanted to sign up for it ever since I started camp three years ago,” she said. “I can’t wait to spend time with the younger girls and lead them in songs.”

Elizabeth’s enthusiasm for camp has certainly rubbed off on her younger sister, Maggie L., a 9-year-old Girl Scout Junior. She’s excited to go horseback riding at Camp Juniper Knoll and attend Make It, Take It, a creative craft day camp at Camp Greene Wood.

“I like going to camp because we get to sing fun songs, the counselors are really nice and we get to do a lot of really fun activities,” she said. “I’m really, really excited to go horseback riding because I’ve never been on a horse before. But my favorite part about camp is getting to meet new people and try new things.”

Want your girl to enjoy an exceptional experience at camp? Check out our full list of summer programs in our 2016 Camp Program Guide and register today!

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Blog

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