We all have to start somewhere. For me, my love of camping and being outdoors were forged in tents, and on the shores of Lake Erie. From ages 7 to 16, I attended a Girl Guide summer camp for at least a week. These were not the type of camps we think of today.
We were up close and personal with nature. Our tents were canvas with a plywood floor (if you were lucky) and when they rained, you got wet. If you didn’t get your bedroll right, everything got wet. Where the lawnmower couldn’t reach, there were wild animals, from lady bugs to mice to rabbits to birds to frogs. When the waves got large on the beach, the lifeguards flipped the fish back into the water and insisted you still had to get wet – at least to your knees.
We played large field games, and we roamed free-range around the camp property. We completed badges, although it didn’t feel like work, it felt like fun. The activities on what we did grow hazy. I do remember arts and crafts shrinky dink art and Rexlace were always popular, and almost every activity we did required walking somewhere else.
In all of that, there were lessons. Ones on leadership when you had to lead your work team to do your daily duty when they didn’t want to get anywhere near a porta-potty. Ones on friendship and compassion when you learned about new people and included them. There were outdoor skills we learnt from how to survive to making really neat twig hangers from your socks out of branches. I discovered how to tie a variety of knots, which came in handy from hoisting the Canadian flag to learning how to rock climb later. Crafts, crafts, galore taught me flexibility and how to think outside-the-box, and the value of creativity.
When I went up for my Gold camping badge, I had to plan an entire camping weekend for myself and two others. I had to take into consideration their physical health, what things they liked and did not, and come up with a plan. These lessons stick with me into camping with my young family even now.
In all of the program, from the craftiness and love of DIY, to love of the outdoors has inspired me to become who I am now. It lead me down a road that loves outdoors, camping and eventually lead to my career in recreation. So to all the many Guiders who volunteered as my leader, you made a difference.
And now, I’m teaching my kids.
So why aren’t you involved yet? Buy a Box of Cookies, Find your Local Unit, or Volunteer and help teach the next generation of girl greatness.
Were you a girl guide? Are you still involved in guiding? Tell me more in the comments below!
I did not receive any compensation for writing this post. Just many years of volunteers made me into the person who I am, and I want to share the love on Guiding!
a passionate recreation coordinator by day, crazy farm mama of two by night. i live outdoors: growing my own food, camping and hiking with my border collie with two active kids in tow. when I’m not writing, I’m experimenting with recipes, and crafts – or anything else that might keep the monkeys entertained.
Your post brought back many memories for me. When I started camping with the Girl Guides, we used those canvas tents. When I was an adolescent, our District bought a bunch of new nylon dome tents and we all celebrated. I hold a Canada Cord, too, and remember making my speech at the ceremony to this day. It was an important stream of experience in my young life. Thanks for reminding me of it.
Great to hear from another sister in Guiding. I remember when we got the dome tents and thought we were in heaven. Are you still involved in Guiding, Teresa?
I was a Brownie, Guide and, when I moved to Toronto and started my career, a Guide Leader.
Growing up with a single dad, I found guiding gave me a chance to earn badges (and skills) in things like sewing and baking while still celebrating my outdoorsy, tomboy ways.
I came back to lead for about 5 years to give back to the program that had such a profound and positive impact on me.
I can’t wait to sign my daughter up for Sparks. It’s a fully inclusive program so no need to kick up a fuss to get her in, and I know she’ll have a blast!