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Background
Camping and associated outdoor experiences (hiking, archery, equestrian, water activities) are viable parts of the Girl Scout legacy dating back to our founding in 1912. GSNETX currently has six camps throughout our 32-county region in North Texas. In addition, the East Texas Service Center in Tyler is situated on 13.5 acres and offers possibilities for day or twilight camping.
When accepting a gift of property and preparing a statement of purpose and objectives for Camp Bette Perot years ago, the Board of Directors noted:
"Needs of girls in the future, as well as today, include:
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A corner of the earth, somewhere, away from a world of steel and concrete. |
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A framework of values and activities in which she may move at her own pace, according to her own desires. |
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A deeply personal antidote to the pressures of organization and efficiency. |
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A haven where she can talk freely with other young people. |
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It is our belief that Camp Bette Perot will be that corner of the earth where the girl may stand still and know herself."
This vision still resonates for the impact the outdoor leadership experience can have upon the girls of today and tomorrow. As we near our 100th Anniversary in 2012, we are looking at our camp property portfolio and how we can bring this important body of assets into the 21st century, modernizing our camps and providing a 21st century outdoor leadership experience for our girls.
The Property Master Plan as the first major step over the next several years in improving our facilities and the outdoor leadership experience for girls.
Click the links below for more information on the planning project.
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Project Consultant Partners Click to view our partners
GSNETX has partnered with Brandstetter Carroll Inc., a planning a design firm with extensive experience in working with Girl Scout councils and youth organizations to assess camp facility design and usage at our six camp properties and the East Texas Regional Center. Assisting with the project are Studio Outside, a Dallas landscape planning and design firm, and Currere, Inc. a workshop facilitation and strategy firm.
Brandstetter Carroll Inc., Cleveland, OH
Project experience includes:
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National Youth Science Foundation National Science Education Center, West Virginia |
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Camp Innisfree, Girl Scouts of Metro Detriot, Michigan |
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Magic Sky Ranch, Girl Scouts of Mile-Hi Council, Denver, Colorado |
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Camp Oak Hills Girl Scout Camp, Saginaw, Michigan |
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Camp Surf, YMCA, San Diego, CA |
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Lakamaga Program Center, Girl Scouts of St. Croix Valley, St. Paul, Minnesota |
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Camp Misty Mountain, Northwest Georgia Girl Scout Council |
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Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer, YMCA, North Carolina |
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North Fork Camp and Program Center, Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, Jacksonville, FL |
Project Team:
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Rick Parker, Registered Architect, AIA, LEED AP, Design Architect: Mr. Parker has over 30 years of experience in similar youth and camp projects. He has gained a national reputation for camp facilities design. Mr. Parker has worked on similar projects in 20 states. |
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Holly Grambort, Registered Architect, LEED AP, Technical Architect: Ms. Grambort has over ten years of experience in public and private building design. She has worked on a wide range of non-profit camp and youth facilities. |
Studio Outside, Dallas, TX
Project experience in Texas includes:
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Camp Summit, Dallas |
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Collin County Adventure Camp |
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Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, Plano |
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Allaso Ranch, Wood County |
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Ft. Worth Nature Center and Refuge |
Project Team:
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Michael Fraze, ASLA, Landscape Architect: Mr. Fraze has nearly 20 years of experience and is a recognized expert in park design, environmental education, and camp planning. |
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Andrew Duggan, ASLA, Landscape Architect: Mr. Duggan has 12 years of experience in working throughout North Texas on large scale park projects. |
Currere, Inc., Cleveland, OH
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Sally Breyley Parker, Group Facilitator, has over twenty five years of experience in working with organizations on facilitiated strategy, planning, and capacity planning. |
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Town Hall Meeting Feedback Click to view Town Hall Meeting Feedback
GSNETX held four town hall meetings with volunteers and girls over the period from January 10-13, 2011 as part of the discover phase of the project. Five key themes that emerged are highlighted below.
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Achieve Outdoor Girl Scout Leadership Experience Excellence
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Commit to becoming a Council known for the outdoor experience, developing camps into Centers of Excellence for different aspects of the outdoors (i.e. equestrian, water sports, orienteering, ropes, backpacking, hiking, wildlife, nature). |
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Link benefits of camping and outdoor activities to growth and leadership in girls—competence, independence, success, taking risk and accepting challenges, teamwork, articulating values and appreciation of nature. |
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Encourage girl, family and adult service at sites—offer internships, service days and volunteer opportunities. |
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Celebrate the Uniqueness of Each Property and Link as a Portfolio of Sites for Learning
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Use the outdoor experience as a living learning laboratory for girls. |
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Highlight the ecosystem, natural flora and fauna, wildlife and history of each property, with information available on-site about the property and how it fits in with the other sites as a part of Texas natural history. |
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Allow girls to grow by learning about how the sites fit together possibly earning progressive patches or activity passport—"camp the circle of sites—take the challenge" of learning about the portfolio of unique experiences GSNETX sites offer. |
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Provide a sampler of activities from other camp sites at each camp location to encourage girls/adults to try new things and then camp at other sites where those opportunities are offered on a larger scale. |
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Develop and Create Partnerships to Expand and Enhance the Outdoor Experience
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Develop partnerships that bring experts in an area to camp to offer programs and alleviate some of the burden on volunteers. An example would be offering a STEM camp in partnership with universities, engineers, and technology companies. |
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Work with local farmers, geologists, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Audubon Society, NASA, ACA, Red Cross, Master Gardeners, and off-site partners to enhance camping and outdoor experience. |
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Build Progressive Opportunities for Camping, Adventure and Leadership
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Offer a variety of opportunities for camping in different settings including primitive, platforms, tents, shelters, cabins, and themed units. |
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Offer programming opportunities that build as girls gain experience and grow older—equestrian, water/sailing, archery, adventure/ropes, technology, astronomy, etc. |
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Incorporate flexible facilities to address more family camping opportunities including grandparents, dads, single parents and siblings. |
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Structured to be able to offer (as appropriate) half day "get acquainted" sessions for families to get comfortable with allowing their girls to participate in camp and outdoor activities. |
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Offer programming to meet the specific needs of different age levels and experience. |
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Offer space for older girls to rest, experience nature, relax and reflect. |
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Keep more equipment at each site available for checkout and use—expand the concept of programs in a box that troop leaders can utilize for offering variety of activities when camping. |
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On each site, provide map of the type and location of equipment, program / activity areas, unique points of interest to help volunteers and girls get the most out of each visit to each property. |
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Celebrate Girl Scout Traditions, Unique History and Legacy
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Preserve Girl Scout traditions and celebrate the unique history of each site. Capture and share this information with today's girls, so they can continue sharing in the future as they become older girls working with younger girls and troop leaders as adults. |
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How can you leave an imprint on the site—and then come back to it later to share with your girls? (i.e. believe or imagination rocks that can be signed; signature wall, learning center that captures and makes new history over time). |
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"Our past should inspire our future." Include a focus on the history of Juliette Gordon Low — her vision and experiences that serve as the foundation for Girl Scouting. Use past as a vehicle for teaching girls to be courageous and strong and be inspired by their own greatness, uniqueness and potential. |
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Survey Highlights
Surveys of girls, parents and troop leaders regarding the outdoor leadership experience and camp facilities were conducted online using Survey monkey over the period from February 12 through February 23. Key highlights from the surveys can be viewed by clicking the link below.Property Master Planning Survey Highlights.pdf
Final Property Master Plan Recommendations Approved by Board
Project Update by Camp
View the latest planning and recommendations for each of our outdoor properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any comments or suggestions on the future of our outdoor properties, please send us an e-mail today. Thank you.
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Town Hall Meetings
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