Country Center Visit
Daisy
Girl Scout Troop 579 took their first camping trip. On Friday May 16th, five
girls (4 in kindergarten and 1 in first grade), two parents and troop leader
Brenda Ptak traveled to Country Center Camp, located in Hockessin Delaware.
Arriving on a damp and misty evening; girls hiked their gear to their
Adirondack unit (a three sided building with a roof), and set up camp. A camp
fire warmed everyone, while girls enjoyed roasted marshmallows and s’mores.
After singing a few camp songs, girls snuggled into their warm sleeping bags
for a good nights rest.
Saturday morning the troop met the Camp Ranger, Carlyn Nelson. Miss Nelson
was impressed with the girls, stating that she has been the Ranger at the
Country Center for three years and Troop 579 was the first Daisy troop that
she has had to camp over. She was equally impressed, with the girls ability
to hike their gear down the hill, across the bridge and over to their camp
site. While three of the girls have camped with older siblings at Council
Camps before, two girls were new to the entire camping experience.
On Saturday girls decorated kites for the upcoming Service Unit’s “Kite Day”
to be held in June. Girls also hiked the camp, found the old dam, walked
through the meadow (where in the 50’s girls boated before the dam broke).
Girls also identified two types of plants and discussed erosion to earn the
County Center’s part of the Council’s “Camping the Peninsula” patch.
After packing up their gear the troop left at 2:30pm to return home. Upon
returning home girls were eager to inform their parents of the “pits”
(outhouses) and how they had to hold their breath and the nylon filled with
soap for hand washing. This was a wonderful experience for the girls’ first
camping adventure as a troop, not only did they learn a lot about Girl Scouts
and camping, they also had lots of fun.
