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Silver Award: Firewood Shelters
Camp Skimino is one of GSCCC’s camp properties—a 90-acre, year-round outdoor and camping destination in Williamsburg. This peaceful, wooded camp is a favorite among many GSCCC members, including Girl Scout Cadettes Ella D. and Sarah S. of Troop 1422 in Williamsburg.
As part of their Girl Scout Silver Award project, Ella and Sarah designed and built firewood shelters at 10 locations throughout Camp Skimino. Frequent campers themselves, the girls have a special connection to the camp and have completed other service projects to support its ongoing needs.
“Storing firewood off the ground at camp is important,” the girls explained. “It keeps the wood dry and prevents it from rotting. Plus, it keeps a lot of crawling insects, like ants, off the wood.”
The girls set out to create open-air, elevated shelters that would keep firewood dry while providing campers with safe, convenient access. Their goal was to develop a permanent and sustainable solution that would benefit campers for years to come.
“I learned how to work as a team,” said Sarah, “and how to properly use power tools.”
“I discovered that I really enjoy building things, especially when it is something needed in my community,” said Ella. “I loved that it was for Girl Scouts! I also loved using the power drill and other tools.”
The project also gave the girls an opportunity to problem-solve and adapt their plans. Their original design featured metal roofs, but while building the first shelter, they discovered that the edges of the metal were too sharp. After brainstorming possible solutions, they redesigned the shelters to create a safer finished product.
Through their Silver Award project, Ella and Sarah not only addressed an important need at Camp Skimino but also gained valuable skills in teamwork, construction, problem-solving and leadership.
The girls would like to extend a special thank-you to Mr. Jody and Mr. Shree for providing them with the support and opportunity to give back to a camp that means so much to them.
Great job, Girl Scouts!
