Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
March 23, 2018
At the March 20, 2018 Regular Meeting of the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC), Mayor John Miller proclaimed March 12, 2018, as, “Girl Scouts Day” and the week of March 11 – 17, 2018, as,”Girl Scouts Week” in recognition of 106 years of this great American organizations’ commitment to connecting girls to a world of possibilities in a positive girl-led environment where they are inspired to discover their passions and empowered to reach their full potential.
The proclamation noted that in 1927, the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, Inc. was established in Duval County and began serving girls in Nassau County and Fernandina Beach in the 1960’s. The Girl Scouts Gateway Council is comprised of 4,000 adult volunteers who deliver Girl Scout Leadership Programs to nearly 10,000 girls. The Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, Inc. is the largest, girl-serving organization in Northeast Florida, and is nationally recognized as a premier leadership organization for girls.
Rachael Mueller of the Council and many Girl Scouts at all levels were on hand to receive the proclamation.
Summer Camp Preparations Underway
Girl Scouts of Gateway Council (GSGC) recently announced 2018 summer camps open to girls of Northeast Florida.
This year, GSGC is offering summer camp experiences at two different locations. Camp Kateri near Gainesville and North Fork in Middleburg are the select sites for Girl Scout activities this summer and will offer a variety of session themes. Campers can earn badges including Archery, Gardener, Adventurer, STEM and Survival. Every girl will have the opportunity to make her summer story the most memorable yet.
Camp Kateri will offer multiple resident camps throughout the months of June, July and August. Resident camps are overnight camps for girls of varying ages to practice independence, test their ideas and try new things. At Camp Kateri, campers can participate in activities such as swimming, kayaking, outdoor skills, arts and crafts, canoeing and archery.
The North Fork Leadership Center will host day camps where campers can enjoy the wonders of nature with canoeing and archery. Day campers may also choose the STEM emphasis camp to combine nature with the sciences such as robotics, photography, astronomy and more.
Beyond day camps at North Fork, the North Fork campsite offers girls the option of a two-to three-night stay to test out a traditional camp experience. Girls choosing to try a sampler overnight camp will sleep in a cabin, cook over fire at night and enjoy customary camp activities including swimming, boating, shooting and making s’mores.
Girls that have completed high school are able to earn their Counselor in Training designation. With the approval from a Girl Scout camp director, Counselors in Training have the opportunity to mentor and work with younger girls in a camp/outdoor setting.
To find out more information about the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council 2018 summer camp offerings and how to register visit www.girlscouts-gatewaycouncil.com or contact TriciaRae Stancato at (904) 421-3484.
About Girl Scouts of Gateway Council
Girl Scouts of Gateway Council serves nearly 10,000 girls in grades K-12 and 4,000 adults in Northeast/North Central Florida. The service area includes Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union counties. For information on how to join, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, visit www.girlscouts-gateway.org or call (904) 388-4653.