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Thursday
March 28th, 2024

girl scouts camp at home pictureCourtesy photoROBERT PIERCE • Leader & Times

 

Part of the fun of summer for youth involved in both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts is that of summer camp.

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, these young people will not get to experience that fun this year, but Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland (GSKH) as launched a new program that takes the great outdoors inside for families looking to engage their girls this summer.

Camp at Home offers six weeks of unique Girl Scout programming for girls across Kansas, and GSKH spokesperson Kaitie Foley said the idea for the event came after physical summer camps were closed for this year because of the pandemic.

“We really want to give the girls a summer experience and something they could still do from home,” she said. “Our team worked really hard and came up with this idea to have camp at home. We still wanted to deliver our same great programming to these girls, just through a different avenue this year.”

Camp at Home begins Monday, and girls can celebrate sisterhood and fun. Camp sessions will be filled with songs, crafts, engaging activities, special and community guests, all provided with a flexible schedule.

“They’ll definitely still be getting to experience the great outdoors at home too,” Foley said. “All of our camps are focusing on a different one of our pillars, including outdoors. There’s one coming up for July called ‘The Wildlifer Challenge.’ That’s one of two camps that really especially focuses on the outdoors this year. They’ll be learning about everything from starting a fire safely to using a compass to leaving a space better than they found it to becoming a master camper all from their own home.”

Foley said while earning badges is part of typical summer camp fun, Girl Scouts can still earn badges through this event.

“Every girl who registers for a Camp at Home will be getting a trading post box in the mail, and that will include all of the badges she will be earning for the summer specific to her Girl Scout grade level,” she said.

GSKH CEO Liz Workman agreed, saying while the organization has had to shift how it delivers summer activities, the opportunity to earn badges, explore the world and have fun through Girl Scouts is still crucial.

“The need for connection and engaging activities is more important than ever,” she said. “And Girl Scouts is here for her. Camp at Home offers a summer filled programming to inspire and uplift girls everywhere.”

Like other organizations, Foley said COVID-19 has had a significant effect on how GSKH does its programming.

“We’ve had to really change how we our handling things, but I’m really excited,” she said. “We’ve all had the opportunity to deliver our programming in different ways and getting to do things more virtually, and this will be something we will take forward with us into the future too. We’re looking at this as a great learning experience on how we can better deliver our program to the girls.”

With that said, Foley said GSKH officials have learned much from the pandemic they can use in the future should a similar situation occur.

“Girl Scouts, we use our resources wisely,” she said. “We’re always looking for ways to use those resources better and more efficiently. We’re looking at this as an opportunity to learn how, in the future, we can just keep deliver our programming no matter what’s happening in the world. Girl Scouts doesn’t stop. It keeps going, and we’ll make the programming and that experience keeps getting delivered to the girls.”

Foley said GSKH does not have many plans on the radar aside from Camp at Home, and she said more than just Kansas Girl Scouts can take part in the event.

“Right now, Camp at Home is our big focus, and the great thing is we can deliver this to girls across the state,” she said. “We actually even have girls from other Girl Scout councils in different states who have signed up to participate as well. We have some girls in Florida, California, Colorado and Oregon who’ve all signed up, and they’re really excited to get to meet some of their Kansas Girl Scout sisters too. What’s great about this is it’s accessible to every girl. We definitely continuing to look at what the future holds and what our next step is and how we can keep delivering that experience.”

Camp at Home, Foley said, also allows girls from other states to connect to their Kansas friends.

“The Girl Scouts are getting assigned pen pals throughout the summer too, so they’re getting to write to and talk to and have conversations with other Girl Scouts and getting to meet new people,” she said. “It’s really exciting. We’re looking forward to this and excited to see how the girls react to it.”

As far as registering, one $40 fee will include all six weeks of at-home camp. The bonus trading post kit includes Girl Scout goodies such as six badges/patches, themed camp supplies, a journal, a foxy animal friend and more.

Camp at Home registration is open to all Girl Scouts across the nation. Families can learn more at www.kansasgirlscouts.org/campathome.

Registration is required to access this special summer programming, and extended year memberships are available at no cost.

“At Girl Scouts, finances should never prevent a girl from new experiences,” Foley said. “Financial aid is available for those who qualify.”