Tag: history

There Was a Wider Opportunity for That!

The Variety of Travel and Learning Experiences Offered with Wider Opportunities

Before there were Destinations for older Girl Scout travel possibilities, local Councils and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) offered Wider Opportunities (Wider Ops).  These were programs that presented Girl Scout Cadettes and Seniors with the prospects of traveling to locations within the USA or around the world, much the same as Destinations do today.  The Wider Ops had various themes, so a Girl Scout had the ability to find an agenda with activities that interested her.  This innovative program gave Girl Scouts amazing experiences that they might never have had if it weren’t for Girl Scout programing.  So let’s take a look at what some of our Girl Scouts encountered through the Wider Opportunities program.

Denise (Schillings) Roche, Legacy South Cook County Council

In 1988, legacy Raintree Council of Evansville, Indiana (now the Southwest Indiana Council) hosted Studio ’88.  Denise Roche was a Cadette in Troop 147 of Homewood at the time and very interested in attending this Wider Opportunity. It was a two-week fine arts Wider Opportunity that was being held at the University of Evansville. Girl Scouts could choose their course of study: instrumental music, vocal music, drama, dance, or visual art.  Denise was an oboist and decided to apply for the instrumental music.  Along with completing the paperwork, she had to have recommendations from her band director and also from the South Cook County Council staff and volunteers who knew her character and intent.  Denise was thoroughly excited when she received the news that she had been chosen to participate in Studio ’88.  Since Evansville is near her Dad’s hometown, Denise’s parents drove her there. The Raintree Council partnered Denise with a host family that took her around Evansville, so she could become familiar with the city before the event started.  Then the girls moved into dorms at the university. The girls were from all over the country, and Denise recalls that her roommate was a ballerina who studied dance for her fine art.  During the day, the girls spent their time attending classes.  Besides her music classes, Denise also chose to do visual arts – a good choice since she is now an elementary art teacher.  In the evenings, the girls had various social events in which they could participate.  At the end of the two weeks, families and friends were invited to attend a full production of all the performing arts, along with visiting an art exhibition that highlighted the visual arts. 

Here is Denise holding her Senior Girl Scout vest, pointing to her Studio ’88 patch.
This is the Studio ’88 patch each girl received.

This initial experience with Wider Ops prompted Denise to apply again in 1991.  This time, she decided on an event called Together We Stand that was being hosted by the Girl Scouts of Philadelphia (now the Eastern Pennsylvania Council). This Wider Opportunity was more of a conference-style workshop. Again, Denise had to complete a substantial amount of paperwork and have recommendations for her application. For this event, the girls stayed in dorm rooms at the University of Pennsylvania. Having the chance to stay at an Ivy League School really impressed Denise.  The girls explored all the educational and historic sites around Philly for the four days they were there.  One evening was all about trading SWAPS.  Denise took rocks from the Thornton Quarry for her SWAPS.  She considers the volcanic ash from Mount St. Helens to be the best SWAPS she received.  Denise was 15 that summer, and it was the first time she had travelled by plane alone. 

Denise went on to earn her Gold Award, is a Lifetime Member, and currently serves as the Fall Product Manager for her daughter Giovanna’s Senior troop, a position she has held from the time the girls were Daisies.

Instead of a patch, the participants in Together We Stand were given a button.
Denise used this SWAP when she attended Together We Stand.

Tamara Anderson, Legacy Chicago Council

As a Girl Scout Senior in Troop 178, Tamara Anderson was chosen to participate in a Wider Opportunity called Music and Medicine that was held in July of 1990. It was hosted by legacy Mid-South Council (now Heart of the South Council) located in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tamara arrived in Memphis on July 20.  She had visited Memphis during previous summers, spending time with her uncle’s family, but this time she went directly to  Rhodes College where the participants of Music and Medicine were housed. Tamara remembers becoming close friends with two of the other girls joining in this Wider Opportunity. One was there for medicine and grew up on a farm. The other was there for music, the same reason Tamara was interested in attending this program. She also recalls that the meals at Rhodes College were undeniably GREAT and that she never ate so good while being away from home. Since Tamara celebrated her birthday two days after her arrival in Memphis, the girls had a party for her with balloons and cake.

The activities that Tamara experienced were so exciting for a girl who was interested in music.  She was able to visit Beale Street, the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the home of the Blues. It was on Beale Street that Tamara purchased her first harmonica, which she taught herself to play. The girls also went to the famous Peabody Hotel to see the legendary duck march to the fountain in the hotel lobby.  Additionally, the group went to Sun Records studio, notable for being where Elvis and Howlin’ Wolf recorded their music. Tamara was even able to play her harmonica in that very studio. The girls then travelled to Nashville to experience the medical and music scene there. While in Nashville, Tamara recorded an original song that she wrote. She also shadowed two doctors.

As with so many Girl Scout gatherings, SWAPS were exchanged at this Wider Opportunity, too.  Some were handmade by the participants, while others used council patches for their SWAPS. Tamara’s Mom sent her with SWAPS from the Chicago Council and the city itself.

This experience has stayed with Tamara. It was a steppingstone to what she is now doing, since she is a professional artist who acts and sings, along with writing music and plays.  And by the way, she can still play a mean harmonica.

Program patch and SWAPS that Tamara received at Music and Medicine Wider Opportunity.
More SWAPS collected by Tamara at Music and Medicine.

Ruth Caragher-Stiles, Legacy DuPage County Council

Ruth Caragher-Stiles went through the Wider Opportunities application process when she was part of Senior Mariner Ship 167 in legacy DuPage County Council. She was chosen for a program sponsored by the Utah Council during July of 1999.  Ruth feels that being selected gave her the chance to mature and grow as a young person. She also saw Wider Ops as a way to explore new experiences that would broaden her horizons.

For Ruth, there were many firsts related to this journey. During the application process, it was her first encounter with sitting down for an in-person interview. Additionally, it was her first time to be on a plane, to see a mountain, to be away from home by herself, to be responsible for herself as a person, along with so many other firsts that are too long to list. It all led to Ruth being more aware of who she is as a person and her ability to recognize her strengths, weaknesses, and maturity level.

When July finally arrived, Ruth flew to Salt Lake City and was greeted by the family who hosted her. She appreciated the family’s kindness and their willingness to take her up into the mountains after they learned Ruth had never seen a mountain before.

The day after her arrival, Ruth met up with all the Wider Op group of Girl Scouts from around the country. The girls had a day of talking and visiting with each other, doing trust games, touring downtown Salt Lake City, visiting the Mormon church, and being together as a group while preparing for the rest of the week. 

The participants traveled by tour bus around the state of Utah for the week. They started out driving to Zion National Park near the Arizona border. Ruth remembers it being quite a long drive, but worth it because of the spectacular view. For Ruth, one of the more rewarding experiences was getting to know the other Girl Scouts during the drive. She recalls that one of the girls was vision impaired and used a walking cane to get around.  The other girls were all inspired by her bravery, since this Wider Opportunity was going to include a lot of hiking, camping, and rafting. She was very trusting, and all the girls surrounded her with support.

After a day of hiking and swimming in the river at Zion, the girls set up camp for the night. Ruth remembers how a thunderstorm rolled through. Since the camp was in a valley between two mountain ranges, the thunder would start at one end and roll like a bowling ball to the other end of the valley and back. The girls sang songs and cooked over a campfire before the rain came, enjoying all the fun.

The following day, the group headed to Bryce Canyon National Park and set up camp again. There was lots of hiking and helping the vision impaired Girl Scout who was so brave, and the group all really built up their friendship during this time.

The next stop on the tour was Moab, where two national parks are located, Canyonlands and Arches. At Canyonlands National Park, the girls saw the beautiful Angel Arch, while at Arches National Park, they saw the magnificent Big Arch. While in Moab, the girls enjoyed white water rafting down the Colorado River.

For the first night in Moab, they stayed in cabins with six girls to a cabin. The other two nights were spent camping under the stars next to the Colorado River. Coming from the Chicago area, Ruth couldn’t get over how quiet it was at night, how beautiful the stars were, and how she had never seen so many of them before in her life. The girls had big bonfires at night and sang songs. They each took turns talking about their lives, homes, and families. Ruth remembers the girls with whom she became close, and how they  would lie together under the stars in the long, tall grass of a field, counting the falling stars until they were fast asleep and not waking until the morning.

During the time in Moab, Ruth had her sixteenth birthday. The rafting tour guide company had bought her a cake. It was the first time Ruth had a birthday away from home, and everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. This was quite a happy time for Ruth.

The blind girl continued to demonstrate her bravery during the hikes in Moab. There were times when the girls had to traverse huge rock faces. At one point they were all completely horizontal and shimming up between a crevice in the rocks, and the blind girl became afraid. The group refused to let her give up and after some time she continued on.  The girls all rallied around her, telling her how proud they were of her. Looking back now, Ruth is proud of the entire group she was with.

Through all the hiking and swimming, the cooking and rafting, seeing all new mountains and rivers, the beautiful scenes at all the national parks in Utah had a profound effect on Ruth. She believes that she became a bit more in tune with who she is as a person because of this Wider Opportunity, which sparked in her a lifetime of curiosity and adventure. There are many times during hikes that were quite challenging that Ruth didn’t think that she could do them. However, after completing these challenges, Ruth’s confidence improved.  She considers her experiences during the Wider Opportunity to have been completely positive.  The Girl Scout leaders, the Girl Scouts who attended from around the country, and even the family who welcomed Ruth into their home, all started out as strangers, but they left Utah as friends.  Ruth is very proud and grateful to have had this experience.

Beth (Pradelski) Kosiba, Legacy South Cook County Council

As a Cadette Girl Scout in legacy South Cook County Council, Beth Kosiba was chosen for a ten-day Wider Opportunity called Porpoises, Patents, and Polymers that was offered by legacy Western Reserve Council (now Northeast Ohio Council) in Akron. During this July 1999 Wider Opportunity, Beth participated in numerous activities, along with 50 other Girl Scouts from 29 states who were also interested in biology, physics, and other science activities.  Beth has always had a love for animals, and this was a perfect match for her to explore the many options for her future.

Program patch for Porpoises, Patents, and Polymers

Before heading to the program, Beth made SWAPS to exchange with the other girls. She made a key chain out of fun foam in the shape of Illinois, painting a tulip on it to show where her hometown of South Holland was located.   

To start this journey, Beth flew into Cleveland, Ohio and was met at the airport by her host family. She stayed with the host family for two days before being taken to Camp Ledgewood, the home base for the program.  Most of the mornings were spent at camp where the participants could enjoy scavenger hunts, snorkeling, rock climbing, or activities planned by different patrols. The girls slept on bunk beds, went on hikes, and used the pool to cool off.  However, one thing that Beth found different at Camp Ledgewood was “timing the showers”, turning the water on and off to make sure that there was enough water for everyone.  There were additional activities, such as campfires in the evening, a pool party, and a tour of the Council office that included a pizza party.

The Girl Scouts spent five days at Sea World, investigating the animals and learning from the instructors.  There was classroom education and behind the scenes exploration. They even had close access to dolphins, penguins, and  whales, along with interacting with the handlers who cared for or worked with the animals.  They learned how to walk with flippers on, and they were able to try out scuba gear in a swimming pool.

A trip to Kent State University let them explore the Liquid Crystal Institute and the displays there.  Here the girls learned a bit about physics and what careers it could lead to. They toured Inventure Place and the Inventors Hall of Fame, where they were able to research and learn about the marvels of invention.

Another outing took the girls to the University of Akron. Here they learned about the Polymer Science Program at the state-of-the-art facility, the Polymer Research Science Center.  At the research center, the girls were able to make something with plastic.

There were also fun times not related to science.  They went to the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and to the Great Lakes Science Museum where they saw an IMAX movie.  The participants also explored the natural wonders of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation area.  They went to Geauga Lake for an afternoon of fun and had a picnic dinner there.

Beth really enjoyed this Wider Opportunity program and found it to be a lot of fun.   It reinforced her love of science careers and education, along with service to others.  She thoroughly enjoyed seeing the animals behind the scenes, and this program helped her to decide on what she wanted to do in the future. Beth has worked at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, and now at the Indianapolis Zoo in the education department.  While working at the Shedd Aquarium, Beth became friends with co-worker Juliann Krupa and discovered that Juliann’s mom was the person who organized the PPP Wider Opportunity Program for Western Reserve Girl Scouts.  And now, Juliann is currently involved with Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. The Girl Scout sisterhood touches us in a variety of ways!

Beth continued her Girl Scout journey and earned her Gold Award. She is also a Lifetime Member.

These are some of the SWAPS Beth collected during her Wider Opportunity.
The girls who attended Porpoises, Patents, and Polymers received this t-shirt.

Amy (Heyse) Mantuori, Legacy South Cook County Council

Amy Mantuori was fortunate to be chosen for four Wider Opportunities during her time as a Girl Scout Senior with legacy South Cook County Council.

In 1998, Amy went on her first Wider Opportunity, which was hosted by the Nation’s Capital Council in Silver Spring, Maryland.  Rocks, Caves to Comets offered spelunking, fossil digging, rappelling, panning for gems, and whitewater rafting, along with a visit to the Smithsonian.  The participants camped in tents most of the time, but also stayed in hotels and on college campuses as they traveled around.

Legacy Michigan Pine and Dunes Council in Grand Rapids, Michigan (now Michigan Shore to Shore Council) offered the Wider Opportunity Ecoventures in1999. Amy felt fortunate to be chosen for this Wider Opportunity thatwas all about learning science and math, along with how to make it fun to encourage younger girls to become interested in STEM. She was taught all kinds of interesting experiments and how to recreate them.  Learning how to write grants, press releases, and proposals was also part of the program. Additionally, the girls acquired the knowledge on how to set up STEM kits for their councils.  Amy took this idea and made it the focus of her Gold Award project.  A highlight of this Wider Opportunity occurred when astronaut Sally Ride spoke to the participants about the importance of getting girls interested in math and science.

For her next Wider Opportunity, Amy headed to Modesto, California in July 2000.  Legacy Muir Trail Council (now Heart of Central California Council) offered On the Trail for Gold.  During her time there, Amy panned for gold, hiked through Yosemite, crawled through a cave, explored San Francisco, and visited old west towns. The lodgings included camping, hotels,  college campuses, and even homestays with host families as the girls traveled across the west in search of gold.

Amy’s last Wider Opportunity took her to Portland, Oregon in July 2001.  Great Northwest Adventure was hosted by legacy Columbia River Council (now Oregon and Southwest Washington Council).  Amy had the chance to do all kinds of amazing things, such as hiking up Mount St. Helens, windsurfing, whitewater rafting, and hiking through waterfalls.  She also went to museums, the aquarium, and on boat trips and light house tours. There was plenty of time spent on the beach, too.

Amy really enjoyed these experiences for so many reasons.  Although she found it to be a little nerve wracking getting on a plane (sometimes by herself) and heading to another state, not really knowing anyone,  Amy also realized that she was going to have an exceptional experience at each of these Wider Ops. When looking back at these four amazing adventures, she realizes that the most memorable aspects of each trip were the people she met.  She is still in contact with many of the girls who were on the trips with her, some she has seen many times since the trips.  One girl even stood up in her wedding, while another was in attendance.  She reached out to some of her friends to ask about their memories of their Wider Ops.  Most of the memories centered around  just getting to know each other, playing games, having new experiences, and having fun. 

Amy went on to earn her Gold Award, and she is also a Lifetime Member.  She recently became the leader of her daughter’s Daisy troop.

After learning about the Wider Ops experiences of these five women, it is quite evident that the Wider Opportunities program had a profound impact on all of their lives. Girl Scouts helps develop girls of courage, confidence, and character through all of the programming that is offered.  However, Wider Ops was proven to be one of the most influential in girls’ lives, and Destinations is carrying on that legacy.

Campus Girl Scouts 

It was well known that for many years former Senior Girl Scouts, upon entering college, wanted to continue in Girl Scouting. However, the only activity for these girls was to become an adult volunteer and/or become a troop leader. 

In the late sixties, college students were showing an interest in campus service activities and service careers. In 1967, the National Board of Directors approved a plan for giving official recognition to Girl Scout campus groups. This new group of Girl Scouts was called Campus Gold.  

As Campus Gold groups were organized, individual councils were given the authority to officially recognize campus groups within their jurisdiction. In the 1970’s these groups became more popular. Girls from small colleges to large universities were organizing. They came together to support the communities they serve through various activities. Another way to serve the community was to become a leader of a troop within the campus’ area.  

Early in the 1970’s there was a national convention of Campus Girl Scouts, held in Chicago, IL. Girls from various universities came together to share their experiences and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow Girl Scouts. 

Today, there are many universities all over the United States that have an organized and recognized Campus Gold Girl Scout groups.  

For further information about Campus Girl Scouts go to the following link: 

Campus Girl Scouts | Girl Scouts 

Council Historians Share Beloved Memories from Their Times at Girl Scout Camp

Over the years, forty historical councils have merged into what is now Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.  In that time, Girl Scouts have owned or leased at least 91 camps, program centers and Little Houses. Below, historians share memories of some of their visits to a few of these camps and how much girls enjoyed being there. If you have stories or photos you would like to have preserved in the council’s archives please contact Rosemarie Courtney via email at info@girlscoutsgcnwi.org.

Camp Woody Acres; Owned by Chicago Girl Scout Council 1944-1981

Girl Scouts of Chicago purchased the property in 1944.  It had one lodge named Redwood.  The only other building was the caretaker’s small farm.  Except for latrines, it was a primitive camp.  The council sold the property in 1981.  Today it has luxurious homes on 1 acre lots.

Lifelong Girl Scout Rosemarie Courtney remembers: “When Troop #298 in Chicago was founded in 1950, it did not take long for the troop to find it a wonderful place to learn all the outdoor skills a Girl Scout should know and use every day of her life. By that time, there were 2 cabins, a screened in pavilion and pitch-your-own-tents camp areas. The big treat seemed to be Sunday breakfast using the caretaker’s eggs that were speckled; somehow, they tasted better. My troop camped there at least 3 times a year, from cabin camping to tent camping.  The most memorable experience was when some of us bridged to Senior Troop 1615 in 1954 and decided to bike to Woody Acres the first weekend of June each year, a 20-mile distance.  We did this for 3 years.  The straight route would be Harlem & the Kennedy Expressway to Irving Park Road.  But safety rules had us planning routes through neighborhoods, forest preserves and country roads.  All our gear and food for the weekend was in our backpacks.  We followed the rules in the Intermediate Handbook and made shelter, if need be, under our poncho over our bikes; otherwise, we slept under the stars.  Unfortunately, in 1956 the Bartlett Police found the 2 miles we had to travel on Irving Park Road to be unsafe for bicycling with gear on our backs, as the road was being widened to 4 lanes to reach a rural road.  So, a parent came and picked up our gear. The photo shows us waiting for the police to give us the OK to bike 2 miles to the rural road:

The widening of Irving Park Road ended this yearly event.  Also, note that we didn’t wear helmets when we biked back then, and all our bikes had one speed.”

Camp Hickory Hills; Owned by Northwest Cook Council sold in 1929-1964

 The land was purchased in 1929 by Mr. & Mrs. Charles F Loesch for the purpose of a Girl Scout camp. They immediately donated the land to the Des Plaines Girl Scout Council. The first building on the property was named Loesch Lodge which is pictured here. When Des Plaines Girl Scout Council merged to form Northwest Cook Council, the newly formed council took on ownership.  Today the property is Hickory Hills Campgrounds which has a display of what the place looked like when it was a Girl Scout Camp, and many former Girl Scouts stop by to reminisce about their days at the camp.

Elise Gould remembers attending the camp on weekend overnights:  “We slept in raised tents, 4 girls in a tent.  We cooked outside over an open fire.  The camp had 3 units: Merriwood, Sherwood Forest and Hilltop.”

Camp Pokanoka; Owned by Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana sold 2021

The camp was originally purchased in 1965 by Trailways Girl Scout Council.  When Trailways Girl Scout Council merged to form Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana the newly formed council took on ownership.  The camp was sold in 2021.

Kathy Webb wrote, “Being a Girl Scout for over 40 years and calling Camp Pokanoka my camp has always been the norm. My first visit to Camp Pokanoka was back in the late 60’s with my older sister and Girl Scout leader, mom.  From that first visit this young Girl Scout was hooked and couldn’t wait to be old enough to attend resident camp for 2 weeks.  One of my first years at camp I attended ‘Ride in the Wind’ with my no-speed bicycle and backpack.  I can remember our pool times and showers in the old, little shower house until the new one was built.  Hiking to the clay pits where we would wallow in the mud or sailing bars of soap boats down the Illinois River.  I even remember making torches from Kotex dipped in Kerosene to light up the road so we could see our way north to the river.  Cleaning the Latrines was my favorite or maybe cooking over the fire. Or was it songs we would sing everywhere we went?

The song Slap Bang after meals was always a highlight to watch all those dishes bounce up and down on those old round tables in the Oriole House.”

Not many changes were made at Camp Pokanoka.  Canvas tents in the Whippoorwill, Chickedee and Flicker which became “cabins” with more sleeping room and a roof, while Blue Jay remained the fun platform tent area.

As years past and I became a Girl Scout mom, Pokanoka was first on our troop’s agenda.  We made it out to camp three to four times a year and helped at council events.  Even though my troop has bridged to adults, I will always love Camp Pokanoka which has been and will always be a Girl Scout Friend to many from all over the world.

Camp Thorn Creek; Leased by Girl Scouts of South Cook Council 1951-1988

Camp Thorn Creek was leased from the Cook County Forest Preserve.  In the spring of 1934 the camp was opened in Sweet Woods Forest Preserve as a home for the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps.  The men built military style barracks on the site to use as their lodging.   It was named Camp Thornton and later used during World War II to house German prisoners of war.  From 1946-1947 the Illiana Christian High School conducted classes in the buildings.  Then in 1951 the Girl Scouts of South Cook Council entered into a lease agreement for the sum of $1.00 per year to use the property as a camp and the barracks were converted to cabins.  The camp was honored by a visit from Olave Baden-Powell in 1953.  In 1988 when the Forest Preserve would not agree to any improvements on the cabins which were in disrepair, the council relinquished its lease on the property.  The barracks were demolished in 1989. Because of its historic importance, the Illinois Historical Society placed a marker at the site on June 26, 2010.

Karen Schillings had the good fortune to bring both of her daughters’ troops to Camp Thorn Creek.  As Brownies, the girls had the opportunity to stay in the barracks that were built during the Great Depression.  These barracks were very primitive and perhaps a little bit “scary” for 7 and 8-year-olds, since they were basic wooden plank floors and walls that the wind could whistle through.  I vividly remember one Sycamore Association (Homewood) spring encampment in the mid 1980s.  The Brownies were housed in the barracks and the Junior, Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts used the platform tents or pitched council tents that were stored at camp. 

Karen recalled, “my Junior troop pitched their tents Friday afternoon excited to be in tents for the first time.  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate.  In fact, it seemed that a deluge had befallen us.  The rain started coming down during the night, and although I had warned the girls NOT to touch any part of the canvas on the tents, the warning was not heeded by everyone.  Some of the tents started to leak profusely.  When morning arrived, many of the girls and their gear were totally soaked.  As the rain kept coming down, we had to figure out a way to prepare breakfast without cooking, since there was no way, we could start a fire.  We basically ate bread with butter and jelly, along with some orange juice – not the scrambled eggs and toast we had planned.  By mid-morning, we could tell that the rain was not going to let up, so we decided to break camp and started calling parents to come and pick up their waterlogged daughters.  That was the most exhausting camp experience I’ve ever had in Girl Scouting, but it didn’t deter my desire to continue taking my troops to camp!”

Camp Chippewa Bay; Owned by Girl Scouts of DuPage Council 1955-2000

Since the formation of the DuPage Council one of the main objectives was to own a camp property with a waterfront.  A search committee was formed in 1953.  For the next five years, while the committee continued its search, the council rented facilities.  At first, the committee was told to limit their search to within a 150-mile radius which proved to be fruitless.  With the help of an estate agent two sites were found in Wisconsin.  The Girl Scout Region VII Camping Adviser visited the sites and made a recommendation to the committee.  The findings were presented to the DuPage County Council board in 1955 and the property which became Camp Chippewa Bay was purchased.  The first Girls camped there in 1958.

When asked to write about why Camp Chippewa Bay (CCB) was so special, Anne Brennan posed the question to the CCB Facebook page (currently 504 followers strong) and received 40 responses and 27 hearts.  Most of the responses expressed similar sentiments: “Camp Chippewa Bay was magic and still holds a special place in our hearts.  It helped women young and not so young find who they were and then allowed them to be that with support and without judgment.  To try new things and challenges and escape from the “real world.” We learned skills in leadership, teaching, empathy, outdoor life and more that has lasted in us all to this day.  Music and singing were also a major theme so I will leave you with a condensed version of our dedication song: ‘We came here as strangers, learned the way of the wind and of the wood and the waves, and left as lifelong friends.  We still gather as much as we can and thank the Girl Scouts for creating this wonderful place.’”

Camp Tocanja; Owned by Girl Scouts of Calumet Council 1956-1988

In 1956 Calumet Council purchased 315 acres on Clear Lake in Twin Lakes, Michigan for a summer camp.  The first girls to camp there were in 1957.  The Scouts did two weeks of primitive camping.  Over the next three years the camp was developed, and Calumet Council declared 1960 to be “Camp Tocanja Year.”  The last summer camp sessions were held in 1985 and the camp was sold in 1987.  The property remains undeveloped and forested. 

Beginning in 1961, the second year the camp was open, Peggy Tuck-Sinko spent many happy summers at Camp Tocanja.  She recalls, “while I enjoyed almost everything (with the possible exception of some of the government surplus food that was served in the dining hall), my favorite memories are of the canoe trips.  Camp was where I learned to canoe, but we all got very tired of practicing strokes, and tip-tests, and maneuvering on Clear Lake.  Why couldn’t we just go out and paddle on the river?  Two different trips around 1963 and 1964 on the White and Pere Marquette Rivers really stand out.  On the White River we slept under overturned canoes at Happy Mohawk Canoe Livery – which still operates today, burned leeches off each other, and tried somewhat successfully to keep the food supplies dry.  I think Happy Mohawk is where I lost my Girl Scout knife.

We also encountered a group of boys who, in one tricky part of the river crashed into rocks and trees, and even overturned some canoes.  They pulled over beyond the “white water” (not raging, but scary enough to us), ready to laugh and catcall at our mistakes.  Now we knew why we had practiced!  One by one, our canoes threaded their way through the snags and churning water.  I’m sure it wasn’t flawless, but there was no crashing of aluminum on rocks or tipped-over canoes.  We waved at the dripping and silent boys as we paddled by, barely containing our glee.  An active Camp Tocanja Facebook group keeps these and other memories of this special place alive.”