2005 Year in Review

Girl Scout’s Day Camporee

Water Games were played during the P.E. Songs and Games Station in an attempt to keep cool.

Five different stations were set up at Rockwood State Park on June 6-8 for the Morrison Rockwood Day Camporee in which 142 Girl Scouts attended to learn outdoor skills, meet new friends and enjoy the great outdoors. Many adult volunteers and 30 staff members traveled with the girls from station to station and educated the girls in the different categories.

Station 1 – Fun Cooking – the girls made edible fires followed by building an A Frame one-match fire. They also learned how to put fires out properly and cooked a large pot of Girl Scout Stew.

Tuesday the girls made Biscuit Dough Boy Shells and added pudding to create a delicious treat. The girls learned about food safety, hand sanitation and how to correctly clean your dishes and utensils. They cooked potato – hotdog – cheese foil packs, which they cooked over coals.

Wednesday the girls made pie iron pizzas, which proved to be a great treat.

Veronica Stafford and Keith Smith were the staff leaders for this station.

Valerie Fisk, Ranger Megan and Linda Cain led Station 2 – Hikes, Knots and Trails. The girls made trail mix on Monday at this station and learned about trail signs. They hiked a trail laid out with the trail signs and finished with a proficiency exam.

Tuesday the girls learned about the flora of Illinois and what kinds grow wildly in the parks. They received a Rockwood State Park Trail Book, and made their own trail mix. Excitement grew, as the first patrol through the trail was able to see a King Snake.

The last day adventure for this station the girls learned about the fauna of Illinois and the native animals of Rockwood Park. They made trail mix and set out on a hike to see signs of where animals had been, including a deer nesting spot. Some of the girls were able to see a doe and young fawn. They each received a compass and learned to use them to guide their way.

Station three was Crafts led by Becky Albrecht and Mary Jo Gooley. The girls painted and stamped baseball caps and canvas backpacks to take home on Monday. Completing this station the girls were awarded with their Art to Wear badge. The girls also sported temporary tattoos of bugs the rest of the day.

The girls created frog snow globes and learned about glue gun safety on Tuesday. They decorated paper bags with slogans and information about recycling and keeping the world clean.

Wednesday the girls made lady bug bracelets, decorated paddleballs and had fun playing different paddleball games.

P.E. Songs and Games was the title of Station Four led by Susan Mapes. This station taught the girls to play Lummi Sticks. Swimming pool noodles were used in place of bamboo sticks as the girls performed Polynesian dances. The three days of the Camporee proved to be scorchers so to end the day on Monday they soaked each other with a water balloon toss.

Another cooling activity was incorporated into Tuesday’s activities, as the girls were clothed with soaking wet sweatshirts for a relay race in which it involved also removing the wet sweatshirt. The girls also tossed soaker balls in the air with wet parachutes.

Wednesday was a continuation of water games in hopes of keeping the girls cool.

The fifth and final station was Education led by Jennifer Hunter. Monday the group played a mystery game of Parasite Sleuth in which they had to determine which parasite caused the main character to become ill.

Tuesday they learned about Rain Forest Ecology and on Wednesday the girls became pollen detectives.

Wednesday at the close of the day a Flag Retirement ceremony was to have been held but because of inclement weather it had to be cancelled. Jim Prombo did get a chance to explain the steps that need to be done before a flag can be retired.

The girls also earned badges from each station of learning for participating in the Camporee.

Each day began with a flag ceremony and the "Girl Scout Promise". The days ended with the girls forming a friendship circle and singing either “Taps” or “Make New Friends”. For photos see Photo Album

by Dawn Zuidema, theCity1.com
June 23, 2005