FRONTENAC, Kan. — Sixty-six Girl Scouts from Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas convened at Friendship Fields in Frontenac this week to engage in outdoor activities and learn life skills. Although the group grew by one camper this year, Co-Camp Director Jenny Gallet said that since she started volunteering with the Girls Scouts, the numbers have been dwindling.
“We need more girls in girl scouts,” she said. “Our numbers are going down, and I think its sad because they learn a lot.”
During this five-day all-volunteer run camp, attendees are taught to fish, canoe, kayak, camp, start a fire, cook over fire, navigate hiking trails as well as other activities like archery and crafts.
“Every life skill you think of they learn in Girl Scouts,” she said. “From money management to independence to thinking on their own, getting confidence, learning to cook, thinking outside the box and creativity. We do a lot of crafts, but we also do many outdoor activities. I think outdoor learning is important.”
When Gallet first became co-camp director in 2012, they had over 100 young girls attend the camp. But over the years, activity options for children have expanded, and many are heavily involved in sports or dance, which leaves little time for anything else.
Years ago, Gallet said, the Girl Scout camp was the only camp in the area that was the first week of June, but now, several happen simultaneously.
Despite the drop in attendance throughout the years, Gallet is happy they seem to be holding steady within the last couple of years.
Without their volunteers, which include aunts, uncles, parents, grandmas, grandpas and former Girl Scouts who have graduated, they could not have a camp, Gallet said. Several people take time off work to volunteer for this camp she said.
One of those many volunteers includes Pittsburg State University Human Health Performance and Recreation Professor Scott Gorman, who has taught archery at the camp for over 30 years.
“Anything that we can do to get our children out of the house participating in outdoor education activities be it archery or fishing or canoeing or kayaking, we’re going to push it,” Gorman said.
Gorman pointed out that the camp was important for the children socially as well. Each year, Gorman brings several volunteers with him including other faculty members, graduate assistants and students.
“I think the overall camp is fairly unique,” he said. “This day and age, children have less and less physical activity and there’s more time spend inside, more time playing video games, watching T.V., so anything we can do to get people more physically active, I think is important.”
When Gallet first became co-camp director in 2012, they had over 100 young girls attend the camp. But over the years, activity options for children have expanded, and many are heavily involved in sports or dance, which leaves little time for anything else.
Years ago, Gallet said, the Girl Scout camp was the only camp in the area that was the first week of June, but now, several happen simultaneously.
The camp takes a lot of hard work to put together every year, and Gallet is extremely grateful for the volunteers.
“As long as the girls are having a good time,” she said. “It makes everything worth it.”
This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.
