TC Camporee for scouts focuses on mysteries, problem solving
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VERNON -- Girl Scouts with Service Unit 807 who took part in the annual Fall Camporee at Camp Sugarbush used their creativity and building skills to compete in a variety of activities including using small rafts and boats they built to see if they would float in a small lake at the camp.
The recent three-day camporee invited 70 local scouts to spend time together gaining unique skills as they took part in activities with the theme "It's a Mystery."
Girl Scout Service Unit 807 has been hosting this annual event at Camp Sugarbush for more than 25 years. The unit services the Howland and Vienna areas.
Each year is a different theme. Past themes included medieval, Disney, cooking, musical, science and Hollywood.
Carol Williams and Shannon Michetti were co-service unit directors for this year's Camporee.
They said Amelia Mchettti, a graduating high school senior, did the mystery theme for this year and planned events around the theme.
Williams said an added feature this year was the duct tape and cardboard boat race along with six programming stations.
Williams said for “It’s a Mystery,” all the supplies for the evening campfire are missing and the Girl Scouts go from station to station, where they will get clues as to the who, why and where to find the missing items.
The stations included coding, crime scene, fingerprint charms, guess who’s in the box, obstacle course and owls.
Williams said during a weekend-after dinner there will be traditional songs and skits performed by the troops by the lodge fire pit.
Recognition was also given to the scouts who are leaving the program as they turn 18 and receive a commemorative patch and a green graduation card.
OWL ACTIVITY
Instructor Kathleen Wallace said scouts looked at owl pellets to determine what the owl had for dinner.
"They are learning about the owls of Ohio and what part they play in nature," she said. "They dissect the pellets and then match the bones to the pictures to see what the owl ate. There is a lot of hands-on learning. Every station has the scouts answer a mystery."
Michetti said she hopes the participants leave the camp with lasting memories and learn skills from taking part in the activities.
"These activities get them to use logic and to pay attention a little more," she said. "They have to determine what items went missing, who took them and why they did it."
Williams said what is missing is all the needed parts for the Saturday evening campfire.
Troop 80008 member Aundrea Wolf, 11, of Niles, who is marking her third year attending a camporee, said she has liked spending time in nature doing different activities and spending time with friends.
Lily Johnson, 11 of Vienna, who is in her fifth year, said she likes looking for clues at the different stations to see who is responsible.
"The day is fun and it is great to make new friends,'' she said.
For the boat races, the scouts had to make a boat out of duct tape and cardboard.
Ariana Hollister, 9, of Howland, said she liked the games the scouts were able to take part in such as campfire bingo.
Williams said some even used Girl Scout cookie boxes.
"The idea is to see how the boats stay afloat in the water. We want them to develop different skills while they have fun,'' she said.
Scouts wearing life jackets got into the boats they made and paddled using oars across the small lake with some making it to the other side and others not getting there, because their boats did not stay afloat.
Scouts also participated in archery, used slingshots and tried out canoes and kayaks.