Camp Young Reunion
There’s a saying that goes, “True friends are never apart, maybe in distance but never by heart.” And so it is with Girl Scout alum who attended the Camp Young reunion held on October 29. A few of the guests, now in their eighties, traveled from out of state to attend this special gathering. They joined other alum to reconnect with each other and honor a camp that was an important part of their history, and the history of Norfolk, Virginia.
The camp, officially named after child advocate Eleanor Young, wife of Norfolk Journal and Guide publisher P.B. Young, was founded in 1946. Land from the City of Norfolk was granted for use to a cooperative to create a camp for the Black youth in the area. The cooperative oversaw the property and its usage and included the Virginia Tidewater Girl Scouts, the Hunton Branch Y.M.C.A., and the Phyllis Wheatley Y.W.C.A. (Virginia Tidewater Girl Scouts, later becoming Greater Tidewater Girl Scouts, discontinued as a member of the cooperative in 1965 and redirected all its focus to integrated camp program.)
Reunion guests were somewhat aware of the camp’s history, but it wasn’t the history of how the camp came to be, the details of how it was operated or how funds were secured to keep such a camp afloat; the history they were interested in was that of their sister Girl Scouts with whom they shared bonds and experiences, and the people who changed their lives.
When guests entered the social hall at Grace Episcopal Church, where many of them attended Girl Scout troop meetings in their youth, they smiled and laughed, hugged and cried as they greeted one another and the reminiscing began. Had it really been more than 60 years since they had braided pigtails, worn camp shorts, and spent two weeks away from home in the woods of Camp Young? For this one afternoon, time faded away and they were Girl Scouts again.
An exhibit of old photos and memorabilia drew them deeper into their Girl Scout era. Among the items were troop photos that had been taken and published in the Norfolk Journal and Guide.
Pointing to a young girl in uniform on the far left of a group photo, attendee Patricia Shirley said, “Oh, look, there I am! I remember wearing that uniform and how proud I was to be in it. I have a photo at home with me looking just like that with Mrs. Mann, one of our leaders.”
Brenda Andrews, the publisher and editor of the New Journal and Guide for more than 40 years, was also in attendance and was drawn to the exhibit. While not an alum from Camp Young, she represented the newspaper that had much to do with the funding and operation of the camp. She was happy to come across a letter written from Thomas Young, the then-publisher and editor of the Norfolk Journal and Guide, among the exhibited items.
“We’re in the process of digitizing more of our photos and records at the newspaper and findings like this are so important,” she said. “The newspaper was involved in nearly everything within the Black community and was influential in all things. There so much of our history in local communities. Of course, the newspaper did not save all communications and photos — that would be impossible — so finding things like these letters that were saved is a treasure to history preservation.”
While guests seemed content looking over the exhibit, enjoying refreshments that included Girl Scout Cookies, and keeping the buzz of conversation going, the start of an official program was prompted by William Mann, the son of Pamela Mann, the volunteer who directed the camp for many years. In an effort to gather everyone’s attention, he held his hand up using the Girl Scout “quiet” sign. It took only a few seconds before everyone followed suit and there was a hush in the room and directions were given to take a seat in the Girl Scout circle.
While welcoming guests, he explained how the reunion came to be. Through a family friend, he had made contact with the former communications director at Girl Scouts of the USA. After hearing about William’s family’s history with the camp, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast CEO Tracy Keller was notified and an introduction was made.
“That seems so long ago,” he said. “I can’t believe that from that introductory meeting came this amazing reunion and the opportunity for me to celebrate my mother in this special way.”
For nearly two hours, the assembled alum spent time walking down memory lane. Each guest introduced herself, said something about her life today and what she remembered about Camp Young and her youth years in Girl Scouts. No one was shy! They all leaned in so as not to miss a word as each told her story. Through the conversations, it was apparent how much impact Pamela Mann and other Girl Scout volunteers had on these women’s lives. All went on to college and became professionals, most in the field of education. All agreed that Girl Scouting gave them values to live by and brought out the best in them. It was clear that these friends shared a tapestry of blessings woven through their lives.
Kathryn “Kitty” Hill, a retired social worker of 33 years, recalled attending camp for three consecutive years. Like all the alum there, she had memories of bugs, homesickness and tramping in mud on rainy days, but also cherished memories of being a camp counselor. “Pam said there was really a need for another junior counselor. She came and she asked me and of course, I said ‘yes.’ Pam was magic and she made camp a wonderful experience. Camp Young guided me through my life and to be able to reconnect with everyone here gives me feelings that I cannot describe.”
Delores Robinson Dunbar also had memories of being a camp counselor and said it was her first paying job besides babysitting at the time. Now retired from a life-long career in theater management, pedagogy, and nonprofit administration in the Philadelphia area, she looks back on her time as a Girl Scout in Hampton Roads as “a joyous, yet poignant memory from long ago.”
Dunbar said, “Scouting made a significant difference in my development. Mrs. Lillian Stephenson, my Bowling Park Elementary School librarian, insisted I join ‘The Brownies.’ Helping her after school kept me out of community chaos, opened my world to many literary topics and sparked a love of books! She once took me home to share her family’s dinner table where I first met daughter Sylvia and Mr. Stephenson. That was my first time eating outside my humble family environment and I was terrified as to which utensil to pick up. A little voice said, ‘Wait, watch them and do what they do.’ They welcomed me and showed me another style of living.”
As the afternoon’s program drew to an end, all were reminded of the gifts in life that are really important, with the gift of friendship being at the top of the list. Friends can help you celebrate good times and support you during bad times. Friends help keep you from feeling alone. Friends can raise your sense of connection, belonging and purpose. We give thanks for our friends and our sister Girl Scouts, for connection and laughter, for comfort and strength, for encouragement and unity, for forgiveness and grace, and for celebration and joy!
