Girl Scouts conclude another successful Encampment

June 21, 2005

LYNSEA GARRISON/Frontiersman reporter

The 2,000 Girl Scouts who descended on the Alaska State Fairgrounds for last week's four-day Encampment set up more than 600 tents on the grass during their stay, and devoured 400 pizzas.

The girls came from across Alaska and the United States, to meet for workshops, seminars and entertainment. Girl Scouts' Susitna Council sponsors the event, which has coalesced at least three years since 1978. It was originally held every three years, but because of its popularity, it is now a biennial event.

"This is a wonderful experience for the girls and their leaders," said Annette Smith, the leader of Troop 243 from Chugiak. "We have people who brave their way from across the United States. Just to have that interchange, not only with the girls who come from in state, but also the girls from out of state, is so good for all the girls and adults."

This year, girls from as far away as Idaho, Ohio and Texas attended the camp, along with Alaskan Girl Scouts from Kodiak, Homer, Valdez, Cordova and Fairbanks.

Lisa Owsley, parent of Jamie Owsley, a Girl Scout from Texas, said during the Encampment that she was having a good experience during her first time to Alaska.

"It's been absolutely pleasant," she said. "It's big and there are real mountains here. The weather has been nice; it was 95 degrees with 95-percent humidity in Texas when I left. I came with my daughter, but the rest of our troop didn't come because of the airfare. I think they're the ones who are missing out."

Owsley said she and her family have done some sightseeing since they arrived, visiting Seward, Talkeetna and other areas.

Her daughter, Jamie, said she "liked it here."

Encampment ceremonies began Thursday with a parade of flags and a music concert with Calypso, a steel drum band. Girls Scouts and helpers also performed a timeline of historical and news events that occurred in the world every year of Encampment from 1978.

Over the days that followed, the Girls Scouts participated in more than 50 workshops, including kung fu and karate seminars. They learned how to hula dance and pan for gold. They also saw a reptile exhibit, star lab and learned about bird treatment and care.

The girls also learned sign language and Morse code, along with "circus skills" like juggling and spinning plates on sticks.

Adriane Anderson, 10, a Girl Scout from Homer, said she liked the workshops.

"It's really fun," she said. "I love hanging out with my friends."

Her friend, Mattea Peters, 8, smiled and stood close by with a doll clutched in her arms.

"I made this doll in a craft workshop," she said. "It's a rag doll."

Every morning, the girls woke up and got ready for the day. They cooked their own breakfasts and many hung their clothes and wet towels out to dry on hand-made clothing lines by their tents. Along with breakfast, the girls slaved away to cook their own lunches and dinners - that is, if they weren't eating the hundreds of pizzas Pizza Hut made for them.

During Friday's warm weather, several girls got sopping wet during a water-gun fight. Other girls sat in circles in the grass and sang songs, talked or ate a bite. Some hoisted themselves onto a ladder to cross a bridge that was more than five feet off the ground. Boy Scout Troop 215 sets up the bridge for the Girl Scouts during every Encampment.

Some Girl Scouts even worked as reporters and photographers for Encampment's newspaper, "Midnight Sun." Reporters for the newspaper would interview campers throughout the day, write their stories every evening and come out with a newspaper every morning of camp.

Campers said they had fun and received a positive message.

"I just think it's the best thing to have all these women and girls here together," said Mary Turner, a former leader of Girl Scouts in Chugiak for 14 years. "It's less restrictive here, this lets girls be girls. They don't have to worry about the guys or their teachers or things like that. This lets them experience all kinds of things."

Lynsea Garrison may be reached at 352-2250.