The challenges of a late winter and wet spring have meant some adjustments to the scheduled camp property enhancements but progress is being made.

Shower house footings at Camp Birch Trails have been poured, work on underground plumbing has begun, and the floor is scheduled to be poured next week.  The scheduled date of substantial completion is September 15 with a final completion date of September 24.

While the Pow Low shower house and troop house remodel have not yet begun, our Architect and Engineer are working with the health department and state code reviewer on final plans and permitting. Architects submitted the proposal requests to our contractor to determine additional costs–hence changes are necessary to allow for permitting and the start of the project. The construction is still expected to be completed by October 15, 2014.

Information on both projects are regularly updated in the Connect (volunteer) e-newsletter and on our Volunteer Connect website. Questions about the projects or timing may be directed to meetinggirlsneeds@gsnwgl.org.

This year, 14 girls from our Council earned their Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and a significant moment in her life as a leader. The Gold Award cannot be won, but rather earned by taking the lead on a major project. Gold Award projects make a positive difference in the lives of people in their community by benefiting homeless shelters, animal shelters, parks, cemeteries, and countless others.

Pictured are the young women of Eau Claire troop 3245 who earned their Gold Awards this year. The troop has been together since the girls were young, and they have made wonderful memories over the years. Gold Award recipient Alex Beckfield said,

I am so lucky to have been part of such an amazing and active group of girls. We were able to do fun projects together that benefited the community, like making hundreds of tissue paper flowers for the Children’s Legacy Luncheon, planting flowers with kids at the Boys & Girls Club, and making tie blankets for Beacon House. We went camping at Beaver Creek, Camp Nawakwa, and Camp Ehawee. We did lots of cooking over the fire, kayaking and canoeing, stargazing, and hiking. The most memorable trip we took was to South Dakota. One of the unforgettable things we were able to do there was a flag ceremony at Mount Rushmore. We were able to see the tourist attractions and at the same time grow in friendship.

Congratulations to this year’s Girl Scout Gold Award recipients! Read more about all 14 of this year’s Girl Scout Gold Award projects at gsnw.gl/goldstories.

According to a new study by the Girl Scout Research Institute, More Than S’mores, girls benefit immensely from time spent outdoors. Girls who regularly spend time outdoors eclipse their peers in seeking challenges, environmental stewardship, and solving problems—all important traits in twenty-first century leadership.

Camp season is just beginning, and it’s not too late to register! Convenient day camp programs at Camp Winnecomac in Kaukauna, WI are perfect for girls in grades K–7 looking for some time outdoors but aren’t quite sure about a week away from home. Resident camp is also offered at Camp Birch Trails in Irma, WI and Camp Nesbit in Sidnaw, MI. Troop camping is available at all of our camp properties, and we will be offering Weekend in the Woods—a structured troop camping program—at both Camp Sacajawea in Wisconsin Rapids and Camp Nawakwa in Cornell, WI. Check out our camp planner on our website and register today!