Jennifer Randolph, Outdoor Program Manager
March is one the hardest months for me to be inside. As I sit here typing, I am hearing the beautiful serenade of our friends the spring peepers through the window and the birds are scurrying around in the underbrush preparing for spring. We are so lucky to live in Southern Illinois, where the bounty of nature is all around us! What a secret treasure we have in Shawnee National Forest, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and several state parks for the public to enjoy. Many of these agencies offer FREE programs not only to the general public but also to Girl Scout troops! Talk about inexpensive, fun and educational entertainment!
Each season in Southern Illinois holds so many outdoor treasures for us to enjoy. Winter brings an opportunity to really see what is in the woods. With leaves out of the way, we have a great vantage point for wildlife and the lay of the land. What a great time of year to watch for Bald Eagles! Spring brings wildflowers, the wonderful smell of earth and rain and all of that lovely green comes back! Fall brings the beautiful colors of changing leaves, campfires and hiking trips.
But summer perhaps, is the best time of year in Southern Illinois! Why, you say? Because summer opens the door for hundreds of excited girls to attend GSSI resident and day camps!
Each year in June and July, there is a buzz in the air as sleeping bags are dug out, canteens are washed and backpacks are filled with camping essentials! Not only is camp crazy fun, but it plays an important part in a girl’s development, as well!
Camping is so much more than just sleeping outside in a tent or a cabin!! These camping experiences are teaching girls life skills, independence and, for Pete’s sake, it’s getting them out of the house and away from technology for a while. By sending girls to camp, parents are helping their daughters build courage, confidence and character while exploring a new world of experiences. Girls have the opportunity to make new friends, learn how to work together in a unit and try fun and new activities that they may have previously thought they couldn’t do.
Camping also helps girls foster a love and appreciation of the outdoors. It is important now, more than ever, that children feel a connection to nature so that in turn, they will grow to be environmentally responsible adults.
So you see, something as small as attending a session at resident camp or day camp can really make a long term difference in a girl’s life! Why not give it a try this summer! You can view GSSI’s summer camp opportunities online at: http://bit.ly/13GSSIcamp.
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| Girl Scouts having fun at camp last summer. |
