Kick off Camp 2014- Camp Wood Haven- Day 1

Kick Off Camp is something that the lower part of our community organizes and puts together. This was our second year of putting this camp together. We had originally wanted to have our camp at our home camp, Camp Louise, but our council is in the process of phasing that camp out. They say that they aren't, but they fired the ranger this year and have not hired a new one. With councils all over the country closing down camps, we see the writing on the wall.

All summer our community lead was told Louise would be open in time, but about 3 weeks before camp she got the call that it would need to be moved. Closest available camp was over 2 hours away, which was not what we were looking for.

I suggested that we look at GS of Eastern Pa's camps because there is one that is close to us, Camp Wood Haven. We were unable to get the whole camp but 3 sites was all that we needed. We stayed at Robins Den, Pioneer 1 and Shady Wood. (I tell you all of this in case you are local and would like to stay at this camp)

At our day camp, we had a contest between the girls to see who can come up with a tshirt design and we were going to sell that. In hopes that everyone who came to camp would order a shirt. I had the screen printer and would take care of that part.

We only had about half of the girls order tshirts and it took me about a week to get them done. I think that the girls liked them. I thought that they looked cute. The design was voted on by them and the winning design was done by a Junior.

Thankfully the camp was not on the tshirt design!

Pretty cute, right?!

Originally the lead and I were going to take our kids out of school early and get to the camp for the earliest possible time, which would have been 3 o'clock. With the change of venue, she was unable to be there for 3, but I would still be able to get there. I like to be at camp early, get everything set up and then enjoy the rest of the night. Honestly, we pay way to much to rent camps to be there only a little bit of the time.

I took the three girls in my troop that were going out of school at 1 pm. We got some gas and stopped for smoothies, but ended up in camp about 3:15.

I was so surprised. It was so nice! My daughter had been to this camp in mid August and we were staying in the same spot she was at. She even picked the same tent. There was 10 platform tents, all actually up. I have had problems with GSHPA camps where the internet says you should have 10 tents and you come to find they only have 5 put up.

Anyway, 10 tents, 2 fire rings and a very big pavillion that had a fire place in side, but also a little kitchen. So we had sinks, a stove and a fridge. At least in our unit. This was a really nice looking spot.

I called our lead and told her she was going to like this place. I asked her if she wanted two fires going by the time she came, and she said that would be great.

My girls had all of their stuff unpacked and had helped me get the stuff I needed to start the fire. I told them them they could wander around, as long as they stayed together.

The site director rolled up a few minutes later, in her golf cart with her yellow lab. S/he was adorable. Very happy and good with kids. She told me she sent the girls back to their site. Apparently I should not have left they explore on their own. She also told us that I could not let them have their cots next to each other, they had to stay the way they were originally. No problem. Every camp is different on how they want things. We have always moved their beds, but they were fine with them once they were moved back.

I told the site director that the community lead would be there shortly. I though that she was very friendly. We talk a bit about the camp and others. She recommended a camp to us for winter use. Then I met the ranger as well. They seemed very helpful.

Once everyone got there, they started the food prep. We had decided to serve walking tacos. And since my family is vegetarian, we brought along our own "meat". We (my kids and their moms) pretty much packed our own food. I know from last years camp that food serving, times and amounts can be an issue, and I did not want my kids to be hungry. I am so glad that we did.

I think that there are several ways that people camp. Me, I am all about pre-prep and relaxing once I am there. I pack clothes and label them for each day. Every day the clothes that we are done with goes into the laundry bag back into the car. Activities are packed the same way. Each one in their own container. We also do food that way. Each day, different container. And for us, we precook our food. I would much rather a child who is hungry have cold/ luke warm ground beef than wait an hour for possibly pink meat. Our community lead is a cook on site kind of camper.

It was close till 8pm before the kids got to eat. And they really skimped on their meals. I felt kind of bad having so much when others weren't getting enough. I offered to share mine with my co-leader and her daughter. But they went through the line. I don't think they wanted to take our food. My co-leader thought that the texture of the "meat" was very much like the real thing. Woot!!

I had just put the sour cream, cheese and lettuce on top of my tin foiled meat and then I was just carrying a frito bag. My daughter was still hungry, so I made her a second out of what I had, and then one of my little girls was just sitting by the fire looking so hungry. I gave her some of mine as well. It had to taste similar, because she scarfed that right down!

After dinner, I handed out snack cakes to all the girls, because it was my birthday. We tucked our girls into bed and gave them a time limit for lights out. I did not want a repeat of our summer troop camp of them being up till 3:30am! And then my co-leader and the volunteer mom from my troop went to our own tent.

I love to camp and I know how hard it is to pull off a camp with one or two troops, that I could not even imagine what it takes to do a community or service unit camp. I am grateful that my lead does this and puts it together. First of all, she only charges 20$ for adults and 15$ for the kids. Where else can you GS camp for 2 nights, have food provided and activities for such a low price. Second, it is a total thank less job, with lots of people complaining with out doing. I hate that.

That being said, there are a few things I would do somethings differently. It needs more planning time coming into it. And it needs more committed adults with defined roles. You are in charge of this, she is in charge of that and you both know what the other one is doing. No troop should come without being able to contribute to the days activities.

I think either food needs to be precooked and preped OR each troop needs to be in charge of their own food. Last year food was an issue, this year it was less of an issue, but I think that next year it needs to not be an issue at all.

I will continue to describe our camp in the next post. Day 2!

How many chances do you get?

Or an alternative title would be, "as long as council gets their money, they don't give a hoot about the girls or the community."

I get so frustrated with our council. Nothing like having them reinforce time and time again, that all they care about is the money.

That leader who I have complained about before. The one who broke the rules at the Halloween parade and whose float ran over a parents foot, the one who broke the rules of cookie sales and there was photographic proof of what she was doing wrong, the one who did not turn in her financial report till September, and the one who did not give her girls badges they earned and lied about camp requirements so she did not take them on a trip? (I just found that out, but I don't think I wrote about it. Her assistant leader is now getting a troop of her own and sharing all kinds of details about what went on)

Yeah they are letting her keep her troop and take on new girls.

So there are no consequences when you break the rules.

There are no repercussions for failing the girls you are supposed to be leading.

As long as you bring in that cookie profit, you can keep doing what you are doing.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Agents of Change- The Power of Team

Second meeting, and the girls jumped right back into it. I think I am going to love having 4 girls this year. Sure a bigger troop means that you can get better group discounts and there is more chance of mixing up the group. But I like the intimate-ness of this small group. I know when I am getting through and when they have stopped listening.

Before the meeting even started there was some heated discussing going on between the four of them and when a mom and I asked what was going on, boy did we hear an earful. The long and the short was that one girl was made to stand along the wall for five minutes* for having a minus in the class room dojo, (goofy app thing that the teachers use), the other girls wanted to know what she did wrong. Thing was the girl had no idea. Someone just told her the teacher wanted her to stand on the wall. Two of the troop girls were so mad because they thought the one who told her was lying and that she didn't really have to stand on the wall. Forth grade girls can be so mean.

Now that seems totally off topic, but it isn't really. These girls are a tight group. They came together for a friend that they feel was wronged so that she did not feel alone. They worked together to come up with a solution so that would never happen to one of them again. All this on their own, with out a leader to say, let's figure this out.

Why does that make me happy?

Because it means that Girl Scouts is WORKING!! Especially for those who it is designed to help. Regardless of what goes on in the "community" or lack of answers/help from council, the GIRLS are getting what we are teaching. They are the reason I come back week after week and year after year. Because it is making an impact on them.

Once the meeting started, we went over last week and I showed them the print outs. They loved them and wanted to make one up for this week. I think they want to cover the whole inside of our craft closet with them. This week when I asked if these words reflected who they were, they were eager to say yes.

We then moved on to talking about team work and what it takes to be a strong team. We have seen so many times before that these girls work well together. It was interesting to see how they see themselves in the group dynamic. One girl was definitely the leader, one I would call the encourager, one is a follower- amazing at carrying out the plan, and the other one is the outside of the box thinker.  Unlike the power words, these girls know their roles in the team and they know how the others work. It makes the team work stuff very easy. I can not believe that they know their roles so well already. I mean they are only in 4th grade. Imagine what they will accomplish because they do not have the power struggles many have in a team.

Finally it was time to get to the fun bits. The girls love science and crafts and I was so proud that I thought I found something to combine the two with our team work talk. We were going to make bouncy balls!

First we explained a team with paper clips. How each person is strong but when we link together the paper clips, it makes a stronger chain. Then we took loom bands and attached them to the paperclip chains to make a sort of net of clips. I compared the bands to the bonds that bring together the team. Finally we turned it to science and explained polymers to the girls.

We went into the kitchen and made bouncy balls. I found a recipe online, which I can not find the link to any more. This is not my recipe-

Supplies-
1/2 cup of warm water
1tbs Borax

1 tbs corn starch
2tbs of school glue (washable glue makes softer balls and non-washable school glue makes firmer ones)

1. Combine the water and borax in a cup and stir. You want enough room in the cup to place your next combination.

2. In a seperate container, combine the corn starch and glue until it is well incorporated. It may take more than a few stirs.

3. Pour the glue mixture into the borax solution. Wait about ten seconds. The mixture will get hard. Take it out a squeeze it, then place it back in the solution for another 10 seconds. Take it out and start to squeeze the air out and work it into a ball shape. Once the ball is round, have the girls give it a go at bouncing it. They are not super bouncy, but they do bounce and the girls will love it!!

My girls had a blast. They loved making the balls and the look on their faces when it all came together is priceless!

Next week we are working on our Community TAP and that will be the end of the journey. We will start talking about the bronze award and the girls will plan their next badge. Another successful Junior meeting!!!

* And what is wrong with the teachers??? 5 minutes of standing along the wall while your peers are playing or staring at you. How is this right??? Public humiliation is not an acceptable form of punishment. 

Agents of Change- Power Words

I took all of the words that my girls used to describe power and made it into a print. I am going to print this out and hang it by our supply closet at scouts. I have a Photoshop addiction. :)

Agents of Change- power of one

Last night was our first meeting. I started off by telling the girls that this year they have more say and more responsibility. We talked a little bit about what is coming up in the year, what did they want to do, and the importance of their bronze award. Then we started on the Agents of Change journey.

We started off by asking them questions on what they thought power was, and what makes a person powerful. The answers were astonishing because they did not agree at all on what power was or who had it. They also really associated power as either good or bad. It took me by surprise because I figured they would have the same text book answers but none of them did.

We then asked them to give us a definition of power. And we asked them to write power words about themselves. They had a real hard time picking words that were powerful to describe themselves. They could pick words to describe each other but when it came down to talking about themselves they were stumped. I have to wonder if it is a modesty thing or if they don't want to say, "I am assertive". 

It is a good thing for me to think about and come up with a way to expand it next week. 

I do not read the journey books with my troop, I allow them to read it on their own. My daughter says this one is really good and she liked it. 

Fall Products- Almond cran-orange crunch

I am very excited to get back to my troop. I love my summer break, but I miss those girls.

This year I am the returning community fall product liaison. Fancy word for sucker!

Yesterday was my scout planning day and I spent it getting ready for the training session with the lower half of our community's troop leaders. We were joined with another service unit a year or two ago and we still function as separate service units. I take care of my local troops and another woman does her area. I have 11 troops to her 22. I got the better deal, I think.

Last year I had a training that I did at a service unit meeting, but there was only 3 troops there. Everyone else had to be trained at a different time. It was frustrating for me because what started off as a simple project turned into something that took way to much of my time.

This year the council is offering an online training for troops. I have everything prepared for the troops who will attend the service unit meeting and the leaders who can not make it can do training online. They have to print out a certificate that they finished the course and then I will give them their girl packets. Should be fairly easy!

I am also having the product rally at our troop meeting place. I think this is a great way to start off the year. Last year we had a nice turn out, and I am hoping for that again. I used the fall rally guide given by council to plan. The only thing I am adding new is craft. I think I will have the girls make lip gloss. I did this once before for my own troop at a sleep over and it was fun. On Pinterest it says to heat up the Vaseline, but we did not when we made it. I am thinking of using coconut oil instead of Vaseline. It really just depends on the budget.

We have a few new items on the product list for the girls to sell. One is English Butter Toffee, OMG is this wonderful. I will be buying one or two of these from my daughter for sure. I tried them at the training and man, instant love.

The other product is a nut and fruit mixture called Almond Cran-Orange crunch. It comes in a zip close bag similar to last years Blueberry crunch item. What it is, is almonds and dried cranberries covered in a glaze. I was really surprised at how good this product was. It is very sweet, but the almonds are nice and big. I am not sure if I will buy this one or not, mainly because I have two bags now from the product training, but it is worth a try. And it is gluten free!!

Juniors here we come!

I can not believe it has been so long since the last post. I have to get better at that. I think sometimes I just do not have it in me to go over all of the garbage all over again.

September 2nd my troop starts Juniors. We are a very small troop again this year. Officially we have 5 girls, enough to be a troop. But one of my registered girls said she is not coming back. I think that will be in my mind now for the rest of the year. Filling that spot so we can continue on.

I love the girls that are with me and I love their parents. My daughter and my #2's daughter have been in Girl Scouts since Kindergarten! And it is so exciting to see the changes in them.

The plan for the year is set but flexible, since the girls have to have a chance to lead. I have picked the badges that we will work on but they will have to decide how they will accomplish it. Last year when they did the "Making Games" badge, we caught a glimpse of their leadership skills in action and I can not wait to see more of it.

We had attended, as a troop, a day camp and my girls were awesome as a team.  I got misty eyed just watching them using all the skills that we have gone over for the last few years. They listened to each other, they came up with a plan and they followed through. If Girl Scouts has affected them in this way while they were just trying to figure out a pirate map, imagine what their future will be like.

We will start off the year with the Agents of Change journey. I have seen so many people complain about the journeys and they do seem so much like school work. I like to dissect them and make them fit our troop. Once we have completed that we can get to work on the bronze award.

This year I am also including a few fun patches with requirements. I think these should be call fun badges. I say fun patch and I think of the patch you get for attending an event, but these actually have requirements. Like fun little journeys that the girls have to earn. Nothing will be just handed over.

I am hoping that it will liven up the year.

We also have a winter camp set up! My girls LOVE to camp, and I rented us a cabin at Camp Happy Valley near Gettysburg in January. And right now starts the prayers for a nice weather weekend because I have been to this camp and it is WAY out there. I can not wait to tell the girls!

This is where we stayed in July. This is Camp Echo Trail and we stayed in the tipi unit called Hilltop. We invited a local 2nd year Brownie troop to come with us. Their leaders were not outdoor skill trained and we had a huge unit for our small troop. It was a BLAST! The girls had so much fun with the other troop. Everyone got a long. The other leaders were so helpful. The parent that came with them was helpful. It was such a nice change. I said I would go again with this troop in a heart beat. Plus, it kept the cost of camp down so much that it was incredibly affordable. Now our January camp will be more expensive as cabins cost 70$ a night over the 30$ we paid for these tipi's and Adirondacks, but we may invite them again and cut the cost in half!