The countdown for camp has begun! While it may seem far away to parents and girls, for us as camp directors it is just around the corner!  We are busy getting the camp grounds ready, making sure our counselors are hired and trained, filling those last camp spots, and making sure each camp is compliant with American Camping Association standards. It is our final and most exciting month of planning. The weather is now warmer, the trees are full at camp, and we can smell last year’s camp fires as we pull out supplies.  The excitement is building in every camp staff member as we count down the days till staff training.

Our camp staff is enthusiastic, talented, and caring adults who are excited about having lots of fun at camp and building girls of courage, confidence, and character. The selection process for camp staff includes screening their experience, their ability to serve as role models for girls, and their genuine desire to work with children. Interviews, reference checks, and thorough background screening are all part of the selection process. Staff training includes a full week of first aid, CPR, safety and emergency management, outdoor skills, team building, helping children deal with homesickness, understanding age level characteristics, and much more. Staff members who facilitate high adventure, horseback riding, water activities, and trips are trained and/or have certifications.

Just as we hold our camp staff to high standards, our camp grounds are held to that same degree. All of GSCI’s camp facilities are proud to hold current accreditation by the American Camp Association (ACA). ACA accreditation is the best evidence parents have of a camp’s commitment to a safe and nurturing environment for their children. This voluntary accreditation assures parents that camp practices have been measured against national standards and go a step beyond a state’s basic licensing requirements. Accreditation is based on a commitment by the camp to undergo a thorough review of its operations – from staff qualifications and training to emergency management.

Before we know it, the first day of camp will be here.  All the supplies will be unpacked, the counselors will be waiting, and the smell of a new campfire will be in the air.  We can’t think of a better way to spend a summer then hiking through the woods, swimming, canoeing, and making new friends.  Can you?  So register for one or more of your favorite summer camp sessions and start packing your bags . . . an outstanding summer experience awaits you!

To learn more about our summer activities click here!

Jennifer Kernan
Camp Director, Camp Widjiwagan
jkernan@girlscouts-gsci.org

Katie Nolan
Camp Director, Camp Peairs & Camp Tapawingo
knolan@girlscouts-gsci.org

Billie Waddell 
Camp Director, Camp Kiwanis
bwaddell@girlscouts-gsci.org

Lisa Sons
Day Camp Director
lsons@girlscouts-gsci.org