Tag Archives: community service

Camp Corner, Spring 2020 (Part 1)

by gsgcf

By Madeline Jackson

Chippy has been lonely during our stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19 and hopes she will see you all very soon! While you’ve been away from camp, the property staff and volunteers have still been working hard to make camp improvements for you to enjoy once you can safely return. In Part 1 of Camp Corner for Spring 2020, Chippy will share the many developments at Camp Honi Hanta.

Troop 17 Completed Bronze Project - Honi Hanta Directional Signage

Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown of camp, Troop 17 completed their Bronze Award project. They designed and installed directional signage by the Lodge to assist first responders in locating campsites in case of emergencies. They were truly thankful for their business partners Gulfshore Landscaping and Violetto Customs for assisting with the completion of their project. In addition, Troop 614 painted the floor of the Eagles Bathhouse. Thanks so much, girls!

Eagles Perch Bathhouse Floor Paint 1 - troop 614

With volunteer assistance, staff installed a five-hole disk golf course near the Manatee House, thanks to funding from the Bradenton Kiwanis Foundation and the Junior League of Sarasota. What a new fun activity for everyone to enjoy! Honi’s Volunteer Caretaker, Lance, was able to repair wood and screen issues at the Roundhouse. In addition, the Bathhouse flooring at Armadillo Alley was pressure washed and freshly re-painted with a second coat of paint.

Disk Golf Basket #1 leading to Hole #2

Council staff oversaw a number of important projects, including:

  • New decks and stairways were installed at Eagles Perch campsite for increased stability and safety.
  • The old plywood partitions were removed, and new toilet partitions installed in the Eagles Perch bathhouse.
  • Our friends at Modern Air were kind enough to donate a used iced machine that we desperately needed. Service units and troops alike no longer need to worry about bringing ice to camp.
  • Fans were installed in all of the treetop cabins and bathhouses for added breeze and comfort. In addition, new floodlighting was installed to light up the stairs, so they are more safely utilized in the evenings.
  • New storm doors and window A/C units were installed in the Armadillo Alley cabins. YES, I said air conditioning in ALL of those units!!!! Can I get a Yippppeeee??
  • Mulch landscaped beds were cleaned out and prepped for crushed shell installation, so mulch won’t stream into the pool.
  • Several leaky roof locations at the Roundhouse, the Lodge Kitchen, and the Eagles Perch screen room were repaired.
  • All touchpoint areas at camp, including bunk beds and camp mattresses, were disinfected.

chipmunk-429699_1920

Next week, Chippy will share projects from Camp Caloosa, along with general camp reminders and information about how girls can earn a badge for helping around camp. Be sure to check it out!

Madeline Jackson is the Property Manager for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida.

Girl Scouts Step up for Hunger’s End

by loritomlinson

It takes more than a global pandemic to keep Girl Scouts from making their community a better place!

Troop 21 had been planning for several months to prepare and serve two Monday meals at Hunger’s End, a nonprofit that provides a food pantry and Blessings Closet in Bradenton. The girls were already familiar with the organization, having previously donated food and toured the facility.

Troop 21 during their pre-Covid visit to Hunger's End

But they wanted to do more. So they decided as a group to use some of their Cookie Program proceeds to buy all the supplies needed to serve two Monday meals in March and April. All the plans were in place—until the COVID-19 outbreak brought their project to a standstill.

Not to be deterred, the girls and their adult leaders came up with a solution. Troop leader Michelle Cramer purchased all the meal components and delivered a portion to each of the troop member’s houses. There, the girls worked independently to prepare individual parts of the meal, chopping vegetables, cooking sloppy joe filling, assembling pasta salad, and packaging cookies for dessert. Girl Scout cookies, of course. Cramer then retrieved the foods and delivered them to Hunger’s End for their Monday Evening Community Meal on May 4.

Monday Meal

“Michelle and her team were amazing and it was so helpful to our organization to have this meal prepared to serve 200 in our community,” said Vicki Snyder, co-founder and treasurer/secretary for Hunger’s End. “We are so proud of them for wanting to help those in need in the community and honored that they chose us to be a part of it.”

The group of determined second and third graders isn’t done yet! They are planning to do it all over again in June. “The girls are so excited that we are still carrying through with our commitment and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Cramer.

“One of the fundamental goals of our program is to instill in the girls the leadership skills needed to make the world a better place,” said Mary Anne Servian, Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida CEO. “Girl Scout Troop 21 is a shining example of giving back to their community.”

 

Lori Tomlinson is the Grants and Communications Manager for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida.