Camporee 2016 Orientation at Great Escape

If you are attending the 2016 GSEM Camporee on October 7-9 with your troop, you will need to attend an orientation. Why not do it while you are at the Great Escape?  The orientation will go over the logistics of the event, and members of the Camporee Committee will be available to answer questions. (Are you surprised to know that several members of the GE committee are on the Camporee committee?) For more about camporee, (open to Girl Scout Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors from all the New England Girl Scout Councils) and to register, please click here.
2016 GSEM Camporee

Join girls, troop volunteers and parents from across New England to celebrate Girl Scouting with a cinematic twist! Whether you come for the campfires, the DJ dance party, archery or the chance to participate in "GSEM's Got Talent," we promise a memorable experience that only Girl Scouts can provide.
Every activity has a movie theme, and girls can work on badge requirements all weekend! A program guide will be published  at a later date.
Activities will include

sing-along

campfires

DJ dance party

carnival midway games

talent show

Get-active workshops: archery, hula hoops, country line dancing, disc golf and gaga

Outdoor activity workshops: fire-building, jackknives, knot tying, lashing and orienteering

Craft workshops: camping ornaments, friendship bracelets, bangle bracelets, tin can luminaries and more

Group activities: geocaching, campsite decorations, banner competitions and camp-wide scavenger hunt

 For more about camporee, and to register, please click here.
2016 GSEM Camporee

Unplug in a Cabin In The New Hampshire Woods

Last week on CBS This Morning (the same day GSUSA CEO Ana Maria Chavez appeared) they ran a story about a new vacation trend.  For $99 per night and up, you can stay in a tiny cabin in New Hampshire where the cell phone service is bad and there's no wifi.  They even provide a box for you to lock up your cellphone.  That way you can unplug from ordinary life.  Of course, you have to do your own cooking, and bring all your food with you.  It's the latest trend!  Just think, a weekend in the woods that will only set you back about $300!

Or, tell you what, come to Great Escape and stay in a cabin in the New Hampshire woods, four sumptuous meals, hot drinks and snacks included, a great schedule of activities and workshops, and yes, no wifi, for $45 if you sign up before August 1st.  If you delay, it'll cost you $55.  If you insist, we'll take your cellphone and lock it up for you.  Kind of a deal, don't you think?  It's a trend you should jump on.

Embroidery

This New York Times article tells you where you can get a sweater with a word or slogan sloppily hand-embroidered on it for a mere $360.00!  Or, you can come to GE and learn to embroider your own sweater!  I'm just sayin'....

A Trip to The Fells

A couple of years ago we began offering off-site trips at Great Escape.  One of the best ever was this trip to The Fells.  This historic summer home of the Hay family had beautiful architecture, scenery, gardens and was a great experience.  Our treasurer, Laura, who spends lots of time in the summer in the beautiful Sunapee area, was our tour guide.  What a perfect summer afternoon we had, with flowers, butterflies and a peek at gracious living from the late Victorian/Edwardian period.  We are offering the trip again this year, so sign up now!

Challenge Course Workshop

If you've been to Great Escape, you've experienced our hilarious and well, sometime raucous, live auction.  We ask participants to donate a prize package or hand made item, worth $25.00 or more, and we auction them off for the benefit of GSEM camps, especially our home camp since 2005, Camp Wabasso.

A couple of years ago we were able to donate $1500.00 to help build the Wabasso Challenge Course, and now it's ready to go.  GSEM staffer, GE committee member and all around bubbly enthusiasm champ Jill will be offering a chance to take the challenge as a GE workshop.  This is a great chance to experience what girls do at camp, and to realize how your auction donations and purchases benefit girls.  Oh yeah, and challenge yourself to be part of a team working together to accomplish a goal!  Space is limited so sign up soon.  (BTW,  there's  great blog entry on what a challenge course brings to a girl's camp experience at GSEM's Camp Runel's blog.)

Here's a summary of our donations to date!  

Great Escape, by running a fund-raising auction each year, has raised and donated more than $14,250  most of which has been earmarked for Camp Wabasso.  The money was used by Girl Scouts, Eastern Massachusetts to provide new tables and windows in the Dining Hall, chairs, a new chair rack in the Lodge and to purchase mildew-resistant paint, a dehumidifier and a new stove for the basement of the Lodge, making it cozier and user-friendly.  Among other items, more than 25 new mattresses were purchased for the camp cots; all Wabasso Girl and Adult campers can be grateful for these clean and comfy mattresses!  In 2013, we donated money to help buy new ceiling fans/lights for the theatre so that it can be used more often.  In 2014, we donated $1500 towards restoration of the Adventure Course at Wabasso.  This year we are donating $3,500 towards outfitting all the winterized spaces with new stoves and buying new cross country skis. 

Registration Update

We've had a strong start to registration - the best ever in fact!  Thanks to all of you who have registered.  Don't forget who gets the worm or the best workshops!  And no, you don't need to be a currently registered GS to attend! (Except for HS Seniors, of course.)

Shibori Indigo Dying Workshop

Shibori is the latest trend, and Indigo is the next big color.  See this article if you haven't already heard that news!  Because the GE committee is composed only of the youngest, hippest and trendiest greenbloods (and if you'll buy that, have I got a bridge for you!) we naturally have a Shibori workshop scheduled this year.  Taught by camp nurse, Donna, you'll learn how to turn pure white cotton articles into the latest in home accessories and clothing!  You'll need to sign up quickly, though, I think this workshop will be very popular!