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Girl Scout leader tries to save camps
(by Sue Hoffman - October 26, 2011)
Girl Scout leader tries to save camps
By SUE HOFFMAN
For Solon Girl Scout leader Roberta Riordan, the planned sale of several camps by the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio would end the camping experience that many local girls have enjoyed over the years.
She has taken Troop 71952, which includes her daughter, Catherine, and other freshmen from Solon High School, to Camp Crowell-Hilaka in Richfield and Camp Lejnar in Lake County, many times over the years.
Both camps are slated for sale in 2012 along with two others: Great Trail Camp in Carroll County and Camp Pleasant Valley in Seneca County.
Since last spring, Mrs. Riordan, a local and national Girl Scout delegate from Solon and Chagrin Falls, has been involved in a grassroots mission to stop the sale of the camps.
Mrs. Riordan has submitted an amendment to GSNEO regulations that will be considered at the organization's annual meeting, Saturday morning, in Macedonia.
The amendment requires the sale of any real estate to be approved by a two-thirds vote of the general assembly.
In Mrs. Riordan's view, the organization's 74 delegates should be included in the vote. She said so far, the delegates have not been allowed to vote on the matter.
"Until elected GSNEO delegates have a true voting voice in decisions as personal and of such great magnitude as the selling of camps, they will not feel that they are truly able to represent their constituents," she said.
"Secondly, board members will know if their decisions in the important area of real estate sales match the will of the membership. If a property vote shows a shared vision of the board and the membership, then GSNEO can work as a much more unified body."
In April, the organization, which serves 40,000 girls and 15,000 adult volunteer members in an 18-county region, announced the sale of five Girl Scout camps to fund the upgrading of two camps. Last week, the Girl Scouts announced that one of those originally planned for sale - Camp Sugarbush in Trumbull County - would be upgraded, rather than sold. Sugarbush, along with Camps Ledgewood in Peninsula and Timberlane, in Wakeman, would become "premier camps and leadership development centers," according to the board.
Regarding the decision on Sugarbush, Dan A. Bragg, GSNEO chair of the board of directors, said, "The board decided to give the master planners and property management experts the flexibility to consider and incorporate the visions, wishes and recommendations of our membership."
GSNEO requires more buildable space than Camps Ledgewood and Timberlane have to accommodate the ideas and visions from the member town hall meetings held in August, officials said last week. They said Sugarbush is located in an area of growth with potential for new members.
Mrs. Riordan said, "Members want to know why their wishes have not been considered all along."
Since Girl Scouts announced the sale, the organization has become divided, with negative emotions hindering the working relationship among members, delegates, staff and board members, Mrs. Riordan said.
"It is time to re-establish a higher level of trust, respect and teamwork between these groups," she said.
Her daughter, now in her 10th year of Girl Scouting and a national Girl Scout delegate, said she's also opposed to the sale.
"Camping defines Scouting and I fear that without enough camps that girls will not be able to camp anymore," Catherine said. "As a national delegate, I am doing all that I can to prevent the sales."
Catherine said she will also address other issues at the meeting, including a plan to block girls under 14 from the general assembly meetings. If the policy had been in place last year, she would not have been allowed to attend her own election, she said.
Girl Scout officials said all members are part of a decision-influencing system. Viewpoints are sought from members and considered by those making the decision.
"Delegates were indeed allowed to voice our opinions in town hall meetings in August, but those opinions were not actually considered," Mrs. Riordan said.
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