Climbing wall grant money helps scouts aim high

WASILLA — Girls in the Mat-Su will continue reaching new heights thanks to a grant from a national nonprofit.

According to Girl Scouts of Alaska development director Darleen Fernandez, the Girl Scouts received a $5,000 grant from the Arbonne Charitable Foundation to purchase safety equipement at the scouts’ 35-foot climbing wall at Camp Togowoods. The camp, which is located along Three Mile Lake, served about 1,000 girls and campers each year.

The Arbonne Foundation is based in Fairbanks.

Fernandez said the money will be used to buy new ropes, helmets, harnesses, carabiners, “trango jaws” and removable holds.

“We were very, very pleased to get help with that,” she said.

Much of the safety gear has a limited shelf life, she said, meaning it has to be replaced frequently. For example, if a helmet is dropped it can no longer be used. There are also annual maintenance costs associated with the climbing wall.

“We have to have the wall inspected and certified annually,” she said.

There are more than 6,000 girls involved in Girl Scouts in Alaska, Fernandez said.

The wall was built 10 years ago with a grant from ConocoPhillips. According to a press release Fernandez sent out, the structure is an integral part of camp life.

“The climbing tower is an important component of GSAK’s safe, experimental Outdoor Education and Recreation Program that aims to instill in girls confidence and self-awareness, independence, responsibility and teamwork — characteristics critical to a healthy, productive life,” she wrote.

Although the camp serves Girl Scouts from across Alaska, Fernandez said it will benefit Mat-Su area girls in particular.

“Lots and lots of girls from the Mat-Su go to Togowoods because it’s so nearby,” she said.

Contact Matt Tunseth at news@frontiersman.com