Girl Scouts of West Central (GSWCF) is offering an alternative summer camp experience to families in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Summer Camp in a Box gives girls components of a traditional Girl Scout Summer Camp experience from the comfort and safety of their homes – whether they are a Girl Scout or not!
There are 8 different weeks of programming starting with the Traditional Camp box on June 15 and ending with Art Expressions on August 3. It’s not necessary to have purchased a previous week’s box in order to enjoy the full benefits of another box. Included in every Summer Camp in a Box are engaging activities for each day of the week (Monday-Friday) along with the majority of supplies needed. Each activity can last up to two hours a day. Participants will also have access to five-plus hours of live, interactive virtual activities in order to maintain the camper-staff relationship that is essential to a Girl Scout Summer Camp experience.
Examples of activities are as follows:
- On-demand video instructions
- Postcards to mail to friends
- “Campfire” recipes
- Friendship bracelets
- Theme-specific activities
- Online flag ceremonies
- Virtual campfire sing-alongs
- Virtual cabin reflection sessions with camp staff
- On-demand video instructions
- Postcards to mail to friends
- “Campfire” recipes
- Friendship bracelets
- Theme-specific activities
- Online flag ceremonies
- Virtual campfire sing-alongs
- Virtual cabin reflection sessions with camp staff
Summer Camp in a Box is available to non-Girl Scout members for $75 a box. Girl Scout members are able to purchase at $25 a box. Financial aid opportunities are available at a $10 per box discount.
Families are expected to provide essential household items like scissors, tape, glue, pens, and pencils. Perishable food items for activities and “campfire” recipes must be purchased separately. An Essential Supply Box is available for an additional $25.
Summer Camp in a Box is the product of a cross-collaborative effort across multiple GSWCF departments. After making the difficult decision to cancel in-person summer camps at all of our properties, council staff members immediately focused efforts to planning, developing and implementing this alternative in just a few weeks. Though there is nothing we would love more than to have girls enjoy their summer at our properties, girl safety is always our top priority. There are still major concerns regarding accessibility to adequate cleaning supplies and our medical capacity is not equipped to effectively test/pre-screen for COVID-19. Even though the Governor is allowing camps to open, ongoing social distancing guidelines and restrictions on group sizes would make most activities difficult, if not impossible, to conduct.
For more information about Summer Camp in a Box visit www.gswcf.org/summercamp
About Girls Scouts of West Central Florida
Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls with nearly 2.5 million girl and adult members worldwide. Girl Scouts is the leading authority on girls’ healthy development and building courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF) serves nearly 28,000 total members. This includes more than 19,000 girls and more than 8,500 adult members in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter counties. GSWCF offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, skill-building, community service and personal success. GSWCF receives funding from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and area United Way agencies. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.gswcf.org or call 800-881-GIRL.
