By Donna Armelino, a parent of a Girl Scout camper
For me, Girl Scout summer camp is a lifesaver, but, for my daughter, it has lifelong meaning. My daughter started attending day camp through Girl Scouts in 1st grade, and now, as a teenager, still goes to camp. Through the years, I have seen her have a lot of fun and take joy in explaining her day on the way home - sometimes so tired she fell asleep on the way. Each summer was a new experience, but often with familiar faces of friendly past counselors.
Nowadays at camp, my daughter serves in the role of program aide (a program designed to enable girls 11 and older to develop leadership skills by sharing their specialized knowledge with younger girls in a variety of settings), as well as helps train new program aides. I'm encouraged when I hear her say that she plans to move up from a program aide to be a summer camp counselor.
Leadership, organization, planning, positively overcoming obstacles, learning to work with others, and appreciating each other's diversity and uniqueness are but a few of the qualities my daughter strengthened by attending Girl Scout camp. Most importantly, though, she didn't just learn these from a book or as part of an activity. She learned them by watching women model them and by experiencing them herself. And she did all of this while having fun!
"For nine years now, I've attended Girl Scout camp and loved it dearly," said my daughter, Ariel, 15. "Taking on the role as a program aide just showed me even more how truly life-changing Girl Scout camp has been to me. I often find myself saying that camp has become my second home, and I would have it no other way. It gives me happiness that I never thought I could find - happiness of working closely with younger and older girls and finding myself as an individual amongst them, but family within them."
Girl Scout summer camp is right around the corner! Visit the council Web site at
www.girlscoutsmilehi.org for more information on camp availability and how to register. At Girl Scout camp, girls can try water sports, horseback riding, quilting, archery, performing arts, science, survival skills or sports. They can also be one of the first to camp overnight at the largest outdoor resource for girls in Colorado, Magic Sky Ranch, which opens this summer.
Day camps are available in Genesee, Franktown, Lakewood, Littleton, Boulder, Aurora, Centennial, Broomfield, Englewood, Golden and Arvada. The day camp in Genesee offers early drop off and late pick up at no extra cost and bus transportation from the Girl Scout Program Center in Denver at $90/week. There is also still room to attend overnight camp in the nearby mountains at one ofGirl Scouts'two properties, Magic Sky Ranch and Tomahawk Ranch.
Girl Scouts is also looking for volunteers to help bring smiles to the faces of campers this summer. A reduced fee may be available to volunteers' campers when they decide to volunteer. There are even programs available during the camp day for younger children (including boys) in the volunteer's family. Visit the council Web site for more information.
Girl Scout camp is an affordable summer experience for girls with rates that are well below other area camps. And girls don't have to be a Girl Scout to take part in Girl Scout camp. Girl Scout camp runs from June to early August and offers sessions for all area girls, ages 6 to 17. Financial assistance to attend camp is also available.