Girl Scouts host camp open houses

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois will host camp open houses for prospective campers at Camp McCormick in Stillman Valley on Saturday, May 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at Camp Dean in Big Rock on Sunday, May 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. Directions to each camp are available online at www.girlscoutsni.org/about-us/contact-us.

At camp open houses, potential campers and their families are able to tour each camp with an expert guide. Families will meet camp staff and view site facilities, including sleeping quarters, dining halls, and activity areas. Visitors will also get a bird's-eye view of areas used for summer camp activities, such as arts and crafts studios and swimming pools.

For information, e-mail Felecia Dupczak, GSNI Camp Pathways Specialist, at fdupczak@girlscoutsni.org. Advance registration is not required.

Girl Scout camp is open to all girls, not just Girl Scouts, in first through 12th grades. Girl Scouts believes overnight camping offers girls the opportunity to discover new talents and skills in a safe, all-girl environment. Every camp session offers girls the opportunity to swim, make something in arts and crafts, outdoor cooking, and camp exploration.

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois diligently follows all safety activity checkpoints and safety standards provided by the American Camp Association. Basic outdoor skills addressed in every session include fire building, cooking, hiking, environmental education, dressing for the weather, knife safety, knot tying, and first aid. Activities at all resident camps include arts, aquatics, archery, games, outdoor skills, team challenges, and many, many more options. In fact, the overnight camping program centers on girl planning. Campers plan their own activities and time at camp through individual and small group processes. This method allows campers the freedom to choose and express how they spend their time at camp.

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois serves over 17,000 girls and 4,000 adult volunteers in parts or all of Boone, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago counties.

Through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, girls in kindergarten through 12th grade, are engaged in discovering themselves, connecting with others, and taking action to make the world a better place. Girls develop leadership potential by participating in age-appropriate activities that enable them to discover their values, skills, and the world around them. Activities in science and technology, business and economic literacy, and outdoor and environmental awareness provide girls with opportunities for fun and friendship while fostering the development of leadership skills and self-esteem.

For information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, visit www.girlscoutsni.org or call (800) 242-5591.