It was a week of fun for the Glen Oaks Girl Scout Service Unit.
Seventy-two scouts participated last week at the “100th Birthday Bash” camp held at Walker Park. The theme refers to the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts. It was the 19th annual Glen Oaks Day Camp.
Through the week, the girls rotated through a variety of activities including crafts, creek time, badge work and opening and closing flag ceremonies.
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“In addition, we take two hours a day to start a fire and cook our lunch over the open flames,” said Barbara Thaw, service unit manager and day camp director.
The Glen Oaks Girl Scout Service Unit includes 22 troops this year with the girls ranging in age from those who have just completed kindergarten to those who have completed the sophomore year in high school, according to Thaw.
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“We cover troops from Glenfield to Fair Oaks,” said Thaw.
Thaw said there were also 10 children in the “small fry” group – children too little to attend Day Camp or male children of volunteers.
Thaw and her family have been involved with the Day Camp for 18 years. “My daughter, son and I first started volunteering/attending Day Camp right after she left kindergarten,” she said.
For the first time in the 18 years, Thaw’s daughter, Rachel, now 23 with a full-time job, couldn’t attend. “She was able to stop down and say ‘hello’” said Thaw.
Her son, Marcus, was only 1-year-old when they first started attending camp and now leads the small fry group with his friends, Ben Swanson, Dewar Peterkin and Levi Bowers.
For Thaw, it takes six to seven months of preparation in her estimation and it is a hectic week, but one that she enjoyed.
“Listening to the gals at the end of the day, I heard one of the Brownies say she wished camp was all summer long,” she said. “During the day, when I look down at the fields and see the girls doing all of their activities, it gives me an amazing sense of satisfaction and joy.”
Thaw also credited the other volunteers including, Maria Swanson, the assistant director.
“Sylvia McGaughey, Gail Brooks, and Kent McGaughey, to name a few, help tremendously. I have at least 10 people who take vacation that week to help out,” said Thaw. Thaw said she had 20 adult volunteers assist with camp.
On Friday, the girls performed humorous skits based on their week’s experiences.
Despite the heat and hectic schedule, Thaw said the work is all worthwhile.
“The adults form lasting friendships and the girls make memories that last a lifetime,” she said.
