22 September 2008
More Reorg Pains
Posted by admin under: Girl Scout Reorganization; camps .
Consolidating councils to bring more resources to the girls within the new organizations is what I was told the point was to all these recent mergers. However, another council is talking about another camp closure in the wake of the reorganization. That makes one stop to wonder if it’s true.
The organization overseeing Girl Scouts in Topeka has decided to close the Topeka Resource Center and Girl Scout Shop and may sell the property at Camp ToKaVaKa in west Topeka, a Girl Scouts official said Friday.
The closures of the two facilities at 7015 S.W. 10th are among several cutbacks made by Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri to save money, spokeswoman Gina Garvin said in Kansas City, Mo.
It’s more honest I think to say that Girl Scouts just isn’t as popular as it used to be and GSUSA is striving to figure out how to keep it afloat and relevant. The new Girl Scout Leadership Program is one way national has decided is the way to go. Closing camps seems to be the other. The story reveals that the newly merged Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri (that’s a mouthful of a council name) has cut almost one million dollars by canceling programs and jobs, but I guess it’s not enough.
Training and activities previously scheduled in the Topeka Resource Center, Camp ToKaVaKa and St. Joseph Resource Center will continue through the end of October. New locations will be identified and made available beginning in November.
The St. Joseph Resource Center and the St. Joseph shop also were closed. Programming at Camp Woodland in Albany, Mo., and Camp Oakledge in Warsaw, Mo., were discontinued. Girl Scouts will need to shop online for uniforms and badges.
Garvin said the organization is facing challenges from many other opportunities presented to girls today, such as sports, after-school programs and church programs.
I hope the girls there will get a chance to continue their camping activities next year. It sounds iffy to me right now.
Update: There may be struggle over this. http://www.fortmilltimes.com/124/story/301201.html
Spokeswoman Gina Garvin tells The Topeka Capital-Journal the cutbacks were made to balance the group’s budget. She says a national consultant will review all properties to see which could be sold.
Shawnee County appraises the camp’s value at almost $538,000.
But local troop leader Ann McKinnon is encouraging people who want to save the camp to come forward.
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