Record enrollment for this weekend's overnight camp at the Girl Scouts' Camp Tahigwa

130 Girl Scouts will travel to Camp Tahigwa in Allamakee County on Sunday for "Camptastic," a volunteer-run program designed to give girls an opportunity to have an overnight camping opportunity.

When the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois announced in 2011 that Camp Tahigwa would no longer host a resident camp program, a group of former campers and other supporters camp together to find a way to offer a resident camp program and "Camptastic" was born.

Each staff member, from the nurses to the lifeguards to the counselors, is donating her time to help keep costs down for girls.  By the time the event is over, they will have logged over 4,600 volunteer hours.  
 
In February of this year, the Property Committee of Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois announced their recommendations to sell all four camps in the council, including Camp Tahigwa, in part due to low participation.  "Our girls have continued to vote with their participation," council CEO Diane Nelson said in a council press release.  However, the show of support from parents and others led the Girl Scouts to change their minds about closing the camp--at least for now.
 
The volunteer group has now attracted 130 girls to the overnight camping experinece.
 
The Camptastic Committee is seeking volunteers to work on Saturday to help prepare camp for the girls' arrival, and to help take down tents on Wednesday, July 24th.  Male and female volunteers welcome—please contact info@camptastictahigwa.org to volunteer.