Camp Conejo: March 2013

Camp Conejo 2012 was a huge success. We are underway, getting ready for camp registration for 2013. This year, camp will run from June 24-28th in Thousand Oaks. Our camp theme this year is "Brave." We will have archery, zumba, tons of crafts, basketball, dancing and we will be kicking off the first day of camp with a Luau, hula dancing and all! We are also proud to announce that Paula from Right Road Kids will be leading the girls in a workshop about empowerment and honoring their uniqueness. Last year, we had the local fire department come on the last day of camp and they hosed down the girls with a blast of cool water. It was so much fun. Engine 34 will be back this year to cool us all off again. We will have dutch oven cooking, making ice cream with kick the can, more games and a scavenger hunt. Last year, the board members that helped me were amazing. Jayme and Tammy ran a creative and amazing program. Heather handled registration beautifully, while Kelly ran an awesome outdoor kitchen with dutch ovens, box ovens and solar cooking. Other wonderful women on my board included Jennifer (Treasurer), Karen and Adrienne (PA Directors), Roxana, Sanaz and Noor (Program helpers), Tabbi (Volunteers), Maryam (Volunteers), Melissa (Camp nurse), and countless sponsors and parents who jumped in to help. We are excited about the 2013 camp and we will write more as we get closer to camp in June.

About 220 Girl Scouts are participating in the new Camp Conejo this week at Glenwood Elementary School in Thousand Oaks.

Camp director Denise Burke, a volunteer unit manager for the Conejo Valley service unit, began working on a day camp for Scouts last fall. The "Going for Gold" theme represents the Olympics and 100 years of Girl Scouts.

With the help of about 40 adult volunteers, the Scouts take part in such activities as arts and crafts, yoga, Zumba, volleyball, Dutch oven cooking and box oven cooking — making an oven from a box, lining it with foil and charcoals and cooking in it.

Some of the other activities — developed by Jayme Hofteig, project director — were geocaching and a charity challenge.

The biggest hit seemed to be archery. The sport was the favorite activity for Kylie Chung, 9, of Thousand Oaks.

"This camp is really cool because you get to do a lot of stuff you don't get to do at home," Kylie said. "I also like painting and hanging out with my friends."

Anh Thu, 10, of Thousand Oaks, also named archery first on her list.

"I also like volleyball and basketball," Anh said. "At opening ceremonies we sing songs. We also have learned how to sew."

"I like volleyball, basketball and crafts and cooking." said Leah Luck, 10, of Newbury Park. "We cooked a muffin where the cup was an orange peel, which was really good."

Kate Waldman, 9, of Thousand Oaks, enjoyed making the camp journal but said archery was her favorite.

"It's so much fun," Kate said Kate. "Since we have the Girl Scout promise, the teacher shows us how to use our three fingers to hold the arrow."

Emily Richmond, 9, of Thousand Oaks, also loves the archery.

"It's something I've never gotten to do before," she said.

The girls will earn about 10 badges during the week.

Maya Alvarado, 11, of Simi Valley is a program aide. "I love hanging out with the kids and helping them and the parents with things," Maya said. "We tell ghost stories at snack and lunch, and the kids really like that, and I enjoy singing with them."

Camp Conejo

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Camp Conejo Rocks

Ventura County Star Article 2012